THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 

LIBRARY 


PURCHASED  ON  THE 

DR.  AND  MRS. 

JOSEPH  EZEKIEL  POGUE 

ENDOWMENT  FUND 


:iATION. 


(^TIONS. 

e  strictly    enforced  hy 

[.  Association,  their 
Iren  of  deceased  meni- 
bntitled  to  the  use  of 


p  use    of  this    Library 
fe  from   their    parent, 
guardian    or  employer. 

Art  III.  Three  hooks  will  be  allowed  to  members' 
families,  and  one  to  an  apprentice,  per  week  to  be  kept 
out  two  weeks.  Then  a  renewal  will  be  t^ranted  for  oTie 
week,  if  desirable. 

Art.  IV.  If  a  book  is  injured  or  lost,  the  person  to 
whom  it  is  charjjed  will  be  held  responsible. 

Art.  V.  If  books  are  retained  lonj^er  than  the  time 
specified,  a  fine  of  three  cents  a  week  will  be  exacted 
and  must  be  paid  before  any  more  books  are  delivered  to 
the  person  thus  indebted. 

^fsr  In  no  case  can  the  al>ove   privileges  be  transferred. 


AK/u^?cf327 


(\ 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


IN    THE    WAKE   OF   WAR 


IN  THE 

WAKE  OF  WAR 


A  Tale  of  the  South 
under  Carpet-Bagger  Administration 


By 


Verne  S.  V^im,  .#    / 


CHICAGO        NEW    YORK 

George  M.  Hill  Company 

MDCCCC 


Copyright,  1900, 

by 
Verne  S.  Pease 


TO 
GEORGE   HENRY  PEASE 

AND 

ESTHER   WOOD     PEASE 

My  Father  and  Mother 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/inwakeofwartaleoOOpeas 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

Prologue      .         .         .         .  .11 

I  An  Army  op  Peace  ...  35 

II  Home  Again.          .          .          .  .43 

III  The  Abomination  of  Desolation  .  51 

IV  Rebuilding  Begins  .          .  58 
V  The  New  Man        .          .          .  .67 

VI  The  New  Man  in  Action     .          .  72 
VII  The  Old,  Old  Story               .           .  82 
VIII  Orders  Is  Orders     ...  90 
IX  Ingratitude,  Black  Ingratitude     .  1)7 
X  Wherein   Instructions  Season  Jus- 
tice        ....  101 
XI  One  of  a  Type  Almost  Extinct      .  117 
XII  Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow  125 

XIII  The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada  .  139 

XIV  The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town      .  154 
XV  "  Forty  Acres  AND  A  Mule  "          .  173 

XVI  A  Man  without  a  Country        .  1S2 
XVII  Shows  Again  That  Peace  Hath  Her 

Victories        .          .          .          .196 
XVin  In  Which  Trouble   Threatens  209 
XIX  Sunrise  and  Pistols         .           .  224 
XX  Genius  Is  Recognized           .            .  242 
XXI  Which  Treats  op  Meeting  and  Part- 
ing       249 

XXII  In  Which  History  Is  Made  .          .  258 

XXIII  Some  Reasonable  Conclusions  267 

XXIV  The  Men  with  Carpet-Bags        ,  273 
XXV  A  Business  Administration  .          .  278 

XXVI  When  Rogues  Fall  Out.  .  290 

XXVII  The  Feeedman  Becomes  a  Striker      310 

7 


_8_  Contents 

XXVIII  An  Explanation         .         .         .163 
XXIX  Which  Shows  That  Although  the 
Ethiopian    Can  Not  Change  His 
Skin,  the  Caucasian  May  Change 
His  Color     ....         320 
XXX  What  Eli  Saw  and  Heard     .         .     325 
XXXI  The  Secret  Conclave  .        .  .334 

XXXII  A   Mighty  Power  Comes,  but  Does 

Not  Appear     ....     342 

XXXIII  In  Which  Eli  Mysteriously  Disap- 

pears ....  352 

XXXIV  In  Which  the  Pursuits  op  Peace  Are 

Exemplified     ....     357 
XXXV  The  Secret  Order  Takes  Form,  but 

Not  a  Name  ...  362 

XXXVI  In  Which  the  Doctrine  op  the  Sad- 

DUCEES  Is  Utterly  Conpounded     366 
XXXVII  Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors       .       376 
XXXVIII  In    Which    the   *    *    Extends    Its 

Benepicent  Operations      .        .     386 
XXXIX  Another  Glimpse  at  Home  Lipe  391 

XL  Another  Abuse  Is  Corrected       .       398 
XLI  In  Which  Kosciusko  Is  Threatened 

avith  Great  Prosperity         .         403 
XLII  Which  Treats  op  Business  Methods 

UNDER  Advanced  Civilization    .    410 
XLin  In  Which  Two  Conservative  Gentle- 
men Are  Instructed  in  Business 
Methods         ,  .  .  .416 

XLIV  The  New  Citizen  Demonstrates  His 

Prerogative        .  .  .  422 

XLV  In  Which  Mystic  Den  Meets  a  Foe     426 

XLV[  Uncle  Phil's  Last  Baptizing       .        432 

XLVII  A  War- Widow     .  .         .         .437 


IN   THE    WAKE   OF   WAR 


PROLOGUE 


THE   PLAIN   OF  TEMPE 


A  Bit  of  Local  History  with  a  Touch  of 
Classic  Lore 

THE  Plain  of  Tempe  has  been  a  summering 
place  for  a  dozen  families  from  the  Great 
Central  Basin  of  Tennessee,  since  a  time  in  the 
history  of  the  State  when  the  red  man  vacated  its 
forests  on  his  westward  drift  to  extinction. 

In  the  first  years  of  the  present  century  it  was 
the  location  of  an  Indian  agency  in  charge  of  that 
incomparable  patriot  and  scholar,  Colonel  Retm-n 
J.  Meigs.  Here  he  built  his  rude  log  cabin,  and 
divided  his  time  between  the  management  of  the 
Cherokees  and  the  study  of  Greek  Classics. 

Upon  the  rough  shelf  above  his  desk  stood 
a  row  of  books  containing  Herodotus,  Homer, 
Thucydides  and  other  classics,  in  the  original. 
An  adventurer  from  the  distant  settlements  noticed 
these  books,  and  turning  to  Colonel  Meigs,  asked: 
"  Do  you  speak  Greek,  Colonel  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  Colonel.  "  I  speak 
Greek  and  also  Cherokee.  I  dwell  among  the 
living   and   the    dead,    but    I    prefer  the    dead." 

The  great  scraggy  hill  to  the  north  he  called 
Mount  Olympus ;  to  the  south  arose  the  rude  form 
of  an  ancient  mountain,  which  he  named  Mount 
Ossa.     Stretching  between  these  was  the  beauti- 


12  In  THE  Wake  OF  War 

fully  wooded  Plain  of  Tempe;  and,  through  it 
flowed  an  opal  stream  of  freestone  water,  over 
which  one  could  easily  leap,  and  this,  to  complete 
the  metaphor,  he  called  the  river  Peneus. 

By  a  call  upon  his  fancy,  he  named  the  gushing 
chalybeate  spring  that  burst  forth  from  a  precipi- 
tous bluff  at  the  base  of  Ossa,  Aganippe;  although 
it  is  recorded  that  he  never  spoke  of  it  without 
easing  his  conscience  with  an  apology  for  the 
violence  that  tore  its  healing  flood  from  Mount 
Helicon,  and  transferred  it  to  Mount  Ossa.  It 
is,  indeed,  a  miniature  reproduction  of  historic 
ground,  the  semblance  to  this  point  existing  in 
quite  reasonable  fact;  and,  while  other  like  places 
have  been  made  to  serve  barbarous  personal  vanity 
or  business  advantage  by  bearing  up  the  name  of 
some  short-pedigreed  aristocracy,  or  of  a  brand  of 
hams  or  make  of  liquor,  this  has  survived  the 
commercial  march  of  modern  civilization,  and  to 
this  day  stands  for  all  the  beauty  of  song  and 
story  that  first  suggested   it. 

Here  the  redoubtable  Colonel  sang  with  Homer; 
declaimed  with  Demosthenes;  speculated  with 
Socrates  and  Plato;  studied  .with  Herodotus  and 
Xenophon,  and  treated  with,  and  finally  van- 
quished, the  barbarians, —  an  ideal  life  for  one 
like  Colonel  Meigs,  who  adored  giants  dead,  and 
abhorred  pigmies  living. 

After  the  Indians  had  followed  the  receding 
west  into  the  vast,  unexplored  region  beyond  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  Colonel  Meigs  had  aban- 
doned his  squatterarchy,  Howard  Grayson  and 
Mortimer  Lewis,  two  prosperous  planters,  had  a 
survey  made  of  five  thousand  acres  of  land,  em- 

RBG 
Nell 


Prologue  _13_ 

bracing  Mounts  Olympus  and  Ossa  and  the  Plain 
of  Tempe,  which  they  entered  in  the  Public  Lands 
Office,  and  for  which,  in  due  time,  a  grant  was 
issued  to  them,  bearing  the  great  seal  of  the  State 
of  Tennessee  and  the  unique  signature  of  John 
Sevier,  Governor.  These  gentlemen,  who  were 
owners  of  large  plantations  in  the  Great  Central 
Basin,  set  about  building  cabins  in  the  Plain, 
where,  with  their  families  and  friends,  they  might 
pass  the  heated  term  in  the  cool,  fresh  air  that 
came  down  from  the  verdure-clad  hills  surround- 
ing. To  this  spot  every  summer  since,  save  the 
four  years  of  civil  war,  this  genial  company  or 
their  descendants  have  gone  for  comfort  and 
recreation. 

The  Plain  has  been,  through  the  several  genera- 
tions of  occupants,  a  resort  after  the  simple  and 
happy  fashion  of  that  most  unique  and  ideal  civili- 
zation, the  Ante-Bellum  South. 

A  row  of  modest  log  houses  facing  on  either 
side  of  the  Peneus  served  for  the  owners  and  their 
guests,  while  back  near  the  mountains,  ranged  in 
irregular  lines,  were  the  quarters  of  the  negi-oes. 
On  a  hillock  near  by  the  houses  was  the  Assembly, 
a  large  shed-roofed  affair  with  open  sides,  a  floor 
for  dancing  or  other  social  entertainment  through 
the  week,  in  which  were  arranged  rude  benches  of 
a  Sunday  for  worship. 

Each  summer,  in  the  good  old  time,  after  the 
wheat  and  oats  were  harvested  and  corn  laid  by, 
the  Graysons  and  Lewises  and  their  invited  guests 
set  forth  for  the  Plain.  The  families  headed  the 
procession  in  carriages,  followed  by  wagons  bear- 
ing  servants   and    provisions.       They   formed   a 


14  In  the  Wake  of  war 

veritable  caravan  as  they  moved  up  the  turnpike 
to  the  winding  roads  of  the  hill  country.  At 
night  when  the  hills  were  reached,  where  hostelries 
were  not  maintained,  they  camped  out  in  true 
cavalcade  style. 

The  names  of  the  persons  composing  these 
parties  were  not  so  unknown  as  to  require  em- 
blazonment on  carriage  doors  or  horse  trappings. 
All  were  possessed  of  sufficient  wealth,  yet  there 
was  no  guise  that  could  be  construed  into  a  display 
of  ready  money;  nor  was  there  any  provision,  as 
at  too  many  modern  summer  resorts,  for  the  exhi- 
bition of  fine  millinery  or  the  physical  charms  of 
the  young  ladies.  These  companies  were  made 
up  of  happy,  congenial  folk  on  pleasure  bent,  sup- 
plied with  plain  comforts  and  possessed  of  bound- 
less hospitality. 

The  camp  for  the  summer  of  1860  was  set,  and 
a  large  and  happy  company  had  been  gathered. 
The  usual  round  of  dancing,  rambles,  excursions, 
and  picnics  was  on.  All  worries  and  apprehen- 
sions apparently  had  been  left  behind  on  entering 
the  Plain.  But  Colonel  Rodeny  Grayson  and 
Major  Walker  Lewis,  grandsons  and  representa- 
tives of  the  original  founders  of  the  resort,  were 
frequently  in  private  and  serious  conversation. 
The  light  and  easy  talk  of  insurrection  by  politi- 
cians and  warm-blooded  young  men,  contrary  to 
their  hope  and  expectation,  had  changed  to  sullen 
mutterings  that  threatened  any  day  to  fulminate 
and  plunge  the  South,  not  into  passive  secession, 
but  into  aggressive  civil  war. 

Each  had  won  his  rank  and  title  in  the  Mexican 
war,  and  foresaw  with  the  divination  of  experi- 


Prologue  jS^ 

ence  the  horrible  consequences  of  rebellion.  To 
them  war  meant  more  and  other  things  than  the 
glories  sung  by  hireling  poets.  It  meant  the 
"science  of  destruction"  —  the  first  and  most 
complete  human  science,  because  it  has  always 
lain  nearest  the  human  heart. 

Contrary  to  custom,  a  trusty  negro  was  sent 
each  day  to  the  nearest  post  office  for  letters  and 
newspapers.  One  day  early  in  July  the  batch 
of  letters  for  Colonel  Grayson  contained  one  with 
the  postmark  of  Claytown,  Ohio.  After  glancing 
over  the  other  letters,  that  his  movements  might 
not  seem  precipitate,  he  excused  himself  from  the 
company  and  asked  Major  Lewis  to  join  him  for 
a  walk.  When  they  were  beyond  the  hearing  of 
the  group  he  said:  "I  see,  Walker,  in  looking 
over  my  mail  that  it  contains  a  letter  from  my 
brother,  or  as  you  know,  my  half-brother,  Felix 
Grayson.  It  must  be  important,  at  least  he  must 
think  it  important,  or  he  would  not  address  me; 
for,  as  you  remember,  he  went  back  North  some- 
what vexed  at  me  because  I  would  not  consent  to 
his  selling  the  mulatto  girl,  Kene,  whom  he 
claimed,  and  somewhat  fairly  so,  over  and  above 
his  interest  in  the  estate  of  our  father." 

"What's  the  matter  with  Felix,  now?  Do 
you  think  he  wants  the  nigger  girl  ?  "  asked  Major 
Lewis. 

"No,  I  reckon  not;  I  paid  him  for  her  at  the 
time  the  estate  was  settled.  The  only  negro  I 
ever  bought,  and  I  bought  her  to  keep  Felix  from 
hawking  her  about  the  slave  market." 

"Well,  Rodeny,  you're  becoming  confidential 
as  you  approach  matmity.     I  never  heard  before 


16  IN  THE  WAKE  OF  WAR 

that  you  bought  the  girl.  What  claim  had  Felix 
on  her,   anyway?" 

"Consanguinity,  Major,  1  blush  to  say.  You 
certainly  have  remarked  the  semblance  of  fea- 
tures. He  wanted  to  get  her  out  of  the  country, 
urged  the  claim  of  nature,  and  then  made  secret 
arrangements  to  send  her  to  the  block  in  Mem- 
phis. By  accident  I  heard  of  his  plans  and  then 
I  paid  him  off.  He  took  the  money  readily 
enough,  but  went  away  somewhat  disgusted  with 
my  puritanical  ideas." 

"And  all  this  time  he  was  threatened  with 
clerics,  which  afterward  developed.  Ah,  Rodeny, 
you  know  what  I  have  always  said  of  preachers. 
They  conjure  theoretical  morals  until  they  lose  all 
sight  of  vulgar,  practical  decencies.  But  where 
is  your  letter?  What  is  he  preaching  about 
now  ? " 

"About  the  same  old  subject,  abolition.  When 
he  would  visit  us,  after  he  had  gone  North  with 
his  mother,  I  could  notice  a  change  of  sentiment 
during  his  stay.  He  would  come  down  a  ram- 
pant abolitionist;  in  a  few  days  he  would  think 
we  ought  to  be  paid  for  our  slaves  by  the  Govern- 
ment, and  before  he  left  he  would  be  stronger  in 
the  belief  that  slavery  was  morally  right  than 
ever  I  was.  His  mother  never  ceased  to  be  an 
abolitionist,  but  she  used  to  insist  that  father  sell 
his  slaves  and  invest  the  proceeds  elsewhere 
before  emancipation  should  rob  him  of  the  greater 
part  of  his  wealth.  She  wanted  somebody  else 
to  lose  the  chattels." 

"A  trifle  inconsistent,  I  should  say,"  observed 
the  Major.      "But  your  letter.     We  are  growing 


Prologue  J7_ 

cynical  over  family  affairs  iu  the  face  of  startling 
national  issues." 

Colonel  Grayson  drew  out  the  letter,  and  read 
as  follows:  — 

"  Pai-sonage  of  First  M.  E.  Church. 

Claytown,  Ohio,  July  1,  1860. 
Dear  Brother  :  — 

My  flock  has  given  me  leave  of  absence  over  next 
Sabbath  and  I  start  for  Tennessee  Friday  morning.  I 
come  to  prove  to  you  that  my  mother  and  I  were  right 
on  the  old  subject  of  controversy  between  us.  I  can 
not  write  more,  as  letters  directed  to  any  part  of  the 
South  miscarry  sometimes  if  they  are  suspiciously 
large.  Please  send  carriage  for  me  at  the  railway 
station,  Manlius.  Your  atfectionate  brother, 

Felix." 

"Flock!  I  don't  see  the  necessity  for  having 
printed  letterheads  for  Felix.  Any  one  would 
know  he  is  a  preacher,"  said  the  Major,  when  the 
letter  was  read. 

' '  But  do  you  see  the  drift  of  the  letter  ?  He  is 
taking  the  trouble  to  come  down  here  and  again 
ply  the  same  old  argument,  hoping  to  induce  me 
to  sell  my  slaves  before  emancipation  shall  be 
accomplished.  He  surely  must  think  heroic  action 
is  impending.  I  believe.  Walker,  the  crisis  is 
nearer  than  we  have  feared." 

"Possibly  so.  I  do  not  think  the  culmination 
or  fulmination  will  be  hindered  by  men  of  Felix's 
profession.  Preachers,  like  death,  love  a  shining 
mark.  One  mighty  sinner  within  sight  of  a 
church-house  is  worth  more  to  them  than  a  hun- 
dred tolerably  decent  ones  too  remote  to  serve  as 
a  horrible  example.  Well,  Saturday  will  soon  be 
here  and  we  shall  have  to  wait  for  Felix  to  tell  us 


18  In  the  Wake  of  War 

what  to  do.  Seriously,  Rodeiiy,  I  am  as  anxious 
as  you  to  know  the  real  sentiment  of  the  North. " 

' '  But  if  we  learn  that  war  threatens,  what  can 
we  do  to  avert  it?"  asked  the  Colonel. 

"  I  can't  think,  unless  we  turn  preachers  and 
preach  the  gospel  of  peace.  But  that  would  do 
no  good.  No  one  would  listen  to  us,  not  even 
our  own  sons.  The  young  men  of  the  South  have 
got  to  fight.  We-all  have  made  a  great  mistake 
in  bringing  up  our  sons  to  idleness.  If  they  were 
busy  now,  they  would  not  have  time  to  meditate 
on  the  glories  of  war.  But  I  hope  for  some  turn 
in  affairs  that  will  avert  it.  We  can  not  have 
war,  civil  war.  I  love  my  rights,  but  I  hate  war 
and  abhor  its  results,  especially  right  here  at 
home.  Think  of  the  misery!  No,  it  can  not  be. 
Well,  this  is  Thursday.  We  surely  can  wait  two 
more  days." 

Captain  Howard  Grayson,  the  father  of  Colonel 
Rodeny  Grayson,  was,  in  his  day,  a  man  of  capri- 
cious matrimonial  ventures.  In  all  else  he  was 
regarded  as  a  man  of  superior  ability.  In  the 
course  of  his  three  score  years  he  had  three  legiti- 
mate opportunities  to  fall  in  love,  and  accepted 
all  with  the  ardor  of  a  boundless  heart  that  exe- 
crates the  interposition  of  cool  judgment.  It  was 
the  Captain's  weakness,  or  perhaps  strength,  and 
at  times  he  found  himself  somewhat  at  variance 
with  the  polite  society  in  which  he  moved. 

His  first  affair  was  while  little  more  than  a  lad 
with  Jackson's  army  at  New  Orleans,  1816.  The 
woman,  a  beautiful  French  Creole,  was  no  better 
than  an  adventuress.    She  possessed,  however,  the 


Prologue  J9_ 

virtue  of  shame,  often  lacking  in  otherwise  better 
persons,  and  refused  to  disgrace  her  duped  husband 
bj  going  with  hiui  to  his  father's  home;  preferring 
to  heal  the  wound  in  her  remittent  affections  with 
a  reasonable  money  allowance,  which  was  her  real 
purpose  in  ensnaring  the  green  and  impetuous 
young  soldier. 

The  Captain  mourned  sincerely  for  a  respect- 
able time  over  his  blighted  hopes,  but  finally,  on 
the  importunity  of  his  father,  claimed  residence 
at  the  Plain  of  Tempe  and  secured  a  divorce 
through  the  courts  of  the  backwoods  county,  on 
the  statutory  ground  of  failure  to  remove  to  the 
State  with  him. 

He  remained  a  recluse  two  years  after  this 
experience,  for  the  heart  mends  more  slowly  from 
disappointment  than  from  bereavement;  and  when 
his  friends  were  all  predicting  that  he  would  become 
a  hermit,  he  fell  in  love  impetuously  and  hopelessly 
with  Marcella  Rodeny,  the  plain  and  rather  unat- 
tractive daughter  of  one  of  the  best  families 
in  his  neighborhood.  But  unattractive  daughters 
make  the  best  wives,  and 'this  proved  a  happy 
marriage,  to  which  was  born  Rodeny  Grayson, 
the  present  master  of  Elmington.  Soon  after 
the  birth  of  Rodeny,  Howard  Grayson,  the  Cap- 
tain's father  and  the  pioneer  of  the  family  in 
Tennessee,  became  possessed  of  the  idea  that  the 
honorable  succession  of  the  name  was  assured  and 
that  nothing  remained  for  him  to  do  but  to  grow 
old  and  die;  which  he  did  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  but  happily,  not  before  he  had  left  the 
mark  of  his  probity  and  virtue  on  the  character  of 
the  fledgling.     It  was  well    for     young  Rodeny 


20  In  the  Wake  of  War 

that  he  got  his  early  impressions  from  so  strong  a 
moral  current,  for  his  mother  died  when  he  was 
scarce  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  he  was  left  to  the 
rather  uncertain  influence  of  the  Captain's  third 
infatuation. 

This  last  effort,  which  developed  the  widest 
play  of  romantic  stratagem  in  his  romantic  career, 
sprouted,  grew,  and  went  to  harvest  at  a  church 
convention,  called  to  prevent  a  threatened  schism 
over  the  slavery  question.  The  woman,  good 
enough  of  her  kind,  belonged  to  the  class,  scanty 
in  those  old-fashioned  times,  now  called  "  strong- 
minded."  Miss  Felicia  Croker,  of  Ohio,  for  such 
was  her  name  in  the  list  of  delegates,  was  a  very 
attractive  person  to  a  man  of  the  Captain's  consti- 
tutional susceptibility.  Her  vigorous,  combative 
nature  and  her  buxom  form  had  carried  the  flower 
of  youth  into  cheeks  of  uncertain  but  not  doubtful 
age.  -  To  one  who  gave  his  judgment  no  voice  in 
affairs  of  the  heart  she  was  irresistible,  especially 
on  first  sight,  which  was  always  enough  for  the 
Captain.  All  else  was  intolerable  detail  to  fill  in 
time  until  the  affair  could  be  respectably  cele- 
brated. This  time  the  detail  was  crowded  into  a 
very  few  days,  to  the  delight  of  the  rampant  lover, 
and  the  evident  satisfaction  of  Miss  Croker. 

The  convention  adjourned  without  results  in  the 
direction  sought,  but  not  wholly  without  fruit;  for 
Captain  Howard  Grayson  and  Miss  Felicia  Croker, 
still  irreconcilably  at  war  on  the  subject  of  slavery 
as  a  national  issue,  came  to  terms  on  slavery  as  a 
domestic  question,  and  went  to  the  home  of  the 
again  happy  bridegroom  as  man  and  wife.  This 
marriage,    arranged    in    the   very   heat   of   fiery 


Prologue  _2|_ 

debate,  never  rose  above  the  plane  of  argument. 
The  national  issue  would  not  remain  settled  above 
twentj-four  hours  at  one  time.  Each  day  Mrs. 
Grayson  felt  the  inward  call  to  speak,  and,  as  she 
mightily  feared  her  conscience,  she  spake.  When 
the  discussion  became  too  vehement  for  the  Cap- 
tain, he  would  resolve  the  question  into  its  domes- 
tic and  personal  elements  by  asking:  "What 
would  yon  have  me  do,  my  dear?  Emancipate 
all  my  slaves  ?  "     And  suddenly  there  was  a  calm. 

Nor  was  the  argument  confined  to  the  home 
circle.  Mrs.  Grayson  assailed  the  "twin  relic" 
at  the  sewing  circle  and  other  social  gatherings 
with  the  vigor  and  flow  of  color  that  had  made 
her  so  attractive  in  the  convention.  Many  of  the 
ladies  in  the  neighborhood  thought  she  pressed 
her  convictions  with  more  zeal  than  was  consist- 
ent with  good  breeding,  and  extended  to  her  only 
such  hospitality  as  was  due  the  wife  of  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  Grayson  family.  Altogether,  she 
was  not  a  success,  and  made  the  Captain  as  mis- 
erable as  the  constantly  rekindling  fires  of  his 
affection  would  permit  him  to   be. 

Mrs.  Grayson  made  frequent  visits  to  her  friends 
in  the  North,  and  on  one  of  these  occasions  gave 
birth  to  a  son,  who  was  christened  before  she 
returned  to  the  South,  Felix  Croker  Grayson. 
Ten  years  later  the  Captain  died,  leaving  his  large 
estate  to  the  widow,  her  son,  and  Rodeny  Gray- 
son who  was  then  an  ofiicer  of  volunteers  in  the 
Mexican  war. 

Such,  in  the  rough,  were  the  marital  hazards  of 
Captain  Howard  Grayson,  and  for  the  purposes  of 
this  history  the  details  are  sufiiciently  prolix.    The 


22  In  the  Wake  of  War 

compiler  leans  to  a  more  charitable  opinion  of  his 
misfortunes  or  indiscretions  than  the  world  took 
of  them  half  a  century  ago.  For,  whatever  his 
luck  or  precipitancy  in  this  regard,  a  more  devoted 
and  watchful  father,  a  more  just  and  considerate 
neighbor  and  a  more  shrewd  and  far-seeing  man 
of  affairs  would  not  be  met  in  a  day's  journey. 
Twice  he  represented  his  district  in  Congress,  and 
declined  offers  of  higher  positions  of  trust  and 
honor  ;  while  the  ninety-and-nine  who  went  not 
astray,  but  browsed  modestly  about  on  the  weeds 
and  thistles  of  the  worn-out  sheep-fold,  slipped 
quietly  oft"  to  Abraham's  bosom  and  dropped  their 
names,  white  and  clean  as  flakes  of  virgin  snow, 
into  the  murky  waters  of  oblivion.  Happily,  the 
son  Rodeny  inherited  all  his  father's  good  traits  of 
character,  which  were  reinforced  with  the  con- 
stancy and  single-heartedness  of  his  mother.  Of 
the  boy  Felix,  it  can  be  said  that,  up  to  the  time 
of  the  Captain's  death,  he  displayed  no  single 
characteristic,  good  or  bad,  that  could  be  labelled 
Grayson ;  his  early  predilections  were  a  source  of 
great  concern  and  heaviness  to  the  declining 
years  of  his  father. 

Saturday  came  at  last,  and  Uncle  Phil,  a  trusty 
negro,  was  sent  with  team  and  carriage  to  bring 
the  expected  visitor  from  the  railway  station. 
About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  he  drove  up 
before  his  master's  cabin  and  the  Rev.  Felix 
Grayson  alighted.  The  Colonel  sat  on  the  rude 
veranda  awaiting  the  arrival,  and  when  he  saw  his 
brother,  walked  slowly  down  the  path  to  meet 
him  and  extended  a  cordial  hand  as  he  said:   "I 


Prologue  ^ 

am  mighty  glad  to  see  jon,  Brother  Felix,  mighty 
glad.  You  are  welcome  to  the  simple  hospitality 
of  the  Plain." 

Before  taking  the  Colonel's  proffered  hand, 
Felix  raised  both  of  his  own  hands  in  attitude  of 
benediction,  and  said  :  "May  the  peace  of  God  be 
upon  this  place  and  upon  this  house."  Then 
taking  his  brother's  hand  he  shook  it  heartily,  and 
said,  with  studied  deliberation:  "I  thank  you, 
Rodeny,  for  this  hearty  welcome.  I  knew  it 
awaited  me  and  that  you  were  still  the  same  gen- 
erous brother  of  the  old  times.  How  natural  it 
all  looks  here,  yet  how- quiet  in  comparison  to  our 
Northern  resorts.  Your  family  is  all  well,  I 
hope  ? ' ' 

' '  Yes,  thank  you,  Felix,  we  are  in  tolerable 
health.     And  your  mother,  is  she  well?" 

"Very  well,  and  sends  her  regards  to  you  and 
all  her  friends.  But  since  I  left  you,  five  years 
ago,  there  is  one  less  to  enquire  after.  I  was  sorely 
grieved  over  the  death  of  your  wife  (he  stopped 
suddenly  at  the  sound  of  his  cold,  unfeeling  words, 
but  only  shifted  his  eyes  and  corrected  himself). 
Sister  Mary,  and  I  would  have  come  down  to 
offer  my  consolation,  only  at  the  time  I  was  en- 
gaged in  a  blessed  revival.  We  were  fairly  over- 
whelmed in  a  spiritual  outpouring,  such  as  one 
seldom  sees.  I  had  scarcely  time  to  write  you 
the  letter,  which  I  suppose  you  received." 

"  I  do  not  recall  the  letter,  Felix,  but  that  was 
a  troubled  time  and  I  can  not  well  remember  all 
that  happened." 

"  You  must  have  gotten  it,"  continued  Felix. 
"  I  remember  so  well  of  posting  it.     I  suppose 


24  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Howard  and  jour  adopted  daughter,  Mary  Lou, 
are  here.     They  must  be  nearly  grown  by  this. " 

"  Yes,  they  are  in  the  Plain,  bat  did  not  ex- 
pect you  so  soon  or  they  would  be  here  to  join  my 
welcome.  They  are  back  near  the  spring  with  the 
company.  Howard  is  a  man  grown  and  gives 
every  promise  of  being  a  comfort  to  my  old  age. ' ' 

"Steady,  I  hope?  "  enquired  Felix,  with  func- 
tional interest. 

' '  Of  correct  morals,  I  believe.  Somewhat  im- 
petuous and  hasty,  but  no  more  than  can  be  ex- 
pected from  a  young  Grayson.  There  comes 
Major  Lewis.  He  is  the  same  warm-hearted, 
peculiar  gentleman  as  when  you  last  saw  him. 
You  surely  remember  him?  " 

"  Yery  well,  and  I  can  not  see  that  he  has  be- 
come shorter,  or  stouter  or  less  erect."  Then  he 
called  to  the  Major,  who  was  deliberately  ap- 
proaching from  another  part  of  the  grounds: 
"How-do,  Major  Lewis.  'A  thousand  years  are 
as  one  day'  to  you,  so  to  speak.  I  can  not  see 
that  you  have  changed  a  particle  since  1  left  Ten- 
nessee." 

"  Thank  you,  sir;  I  don't  .feel  that  I  am  yet  an 
old  man.  IS^othing  like  a  clear  conscience.  Par- 
son Felix,  and  no  sins  but  my  own  to  answer  for 
—  which  you  will  remember  were  few."  Then 
taking  Felix  by  the  hand  he  shook  it  cordially, 
while  he  surveyed  him  from  head  to  foot.  "Al- 
ways like  his  mother,  but  now  her  mature  image," 
he  said.  "But  I'll  wager  my  roan  filly  by  Cop- 
perbottom,  that  you  can  not  talk  with  her.  She 
can  right  now  argue  you  to  a  stand-still.  I  hope 
she  is  in  good  health." 


Prologue  25 

"  Yery  good,  thank  God."  Answered  the 
young  minister,  with  an  apparent  tug  at  his  feel- 
ings, which  were  not  always  at  ready  command. 
"  I  think  you  know  she  has  married  again.  She  is 
now  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Simpson,  one  of  the 
foremost  divines  of  our  church  in  the  North,  and 
often  mentioned  as  the  next  bishop  for  our  part  of 
Ohio." 

"If  he  will  put  himself  in  the  hands  of  his 
wife,  he  will  be  nominated  at  the  first  caucus 
and  elected  on  the  first  ballot,"  said  the  Major, 
bluntly.  3y(p.    1/7 

"Only  in  the  work  of  tiie  Church,  Major,  we 
have  no  caucuses,  and  advancement  comes  with 
Divine  guidance,"  answered  the  minister,  with 
some  warmth. 

"You  must  pardon  me,  Felix,  for  not  using  the 
right  word.  You  know  I  always  was  a  blunderer 
with  words.  I  simply  was  trying  to  express,  in  a 
clumsy  manner,  my  admiration  for  your  mother's 
superior  ability.  Caucus  or  no  caucus,  your  step- 
father is  as  good  as  elected  bishop.  I  will  stake 
my  roan  filly  on  that,  if  it  is  proper  to  do  so." 

"Do  you  choose  to  refresh  yourself  before  join- 
ing the  company,  Felix  ?  No  ?  We  will  walk 
over  to  the  spring,  then,"  said  the  Colonel,  be- 
lieving it  time  to  cut  off  the  Major,  who  was  in 
one  of  his  teasing  moods. 

Felix  Grayson,  at  the  mature  age  of  twenty-four, 
was   a  man  to  command   notice.      He  was   tall, 
straight,    muscular  — of    almost   athletic   build  — 
and  carried  himself  with  a  self-possession  that  is^ 
generally    mistaken    for    dignity.     He    had    Ms- 
mother's    round    cheeks,    rosy    complexion,  /knd 


!i     « 


26  In  the  Wake  of  War 

strong  features.  The  casual  observer  would  have 
put  him  down  for  a  superior  man  in  abilities  and 
character;  but  the  student  of  physiognomy  would 
have  halted  his  judgment  before  the  restless  gray 
eye,  that  seemed  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  surprises. 
It  had  a  venturesome  snap,  but  seemed  to  turn  on 
himself  as  if  watching  an  ever-impending  blunder 
or  over-play. 

During  the  conversation  in  the  afternoon  it  was 
disclosed  that  Felix  could  remain  at  the  Plain  only 
until  Monday  morning.  The  Colonel  pleaded,  and 
Major  Lewis  pressed  the  point  of  hospitality  that 
allowed  no  guest  to  depart  under  a  full  week,  but 
to  no  result.  The  minister  protested  that  he  could 
not  remain  longer  from  his  field  of  work,  as  con- 
tinued absence  might  require  explanations  to  his 
"flock." 

"And,  Rodeny, "  said  he,  "I  want  a  little  pri- 
vate conversation  with  you  to-night,  because  that 
which  I  have  to  say  is  purely  secular  and  hardly  a 
fit  subject  for  the  Sabbath-day." 

"After  supper,  Felix,"  replied  the  Colonel, 
"our  friends  will  excuse  us  for  a  bit." 

At  supper  that  evening,  the-  Major,  Mrs.  Lewis, 
and  their  son.  Manning,  were  guests.  It  seemed 
almost  a  family  reunion.  Howard  Grayson  and 
Manning  Lewis  were  young  men  of  twenty  and 
inseparable  friends,  as  their  fathers  had  been  for 
forty  years.  They  were  about  the  average  young 
gentlemen  of  the  Ante-Bell um  South:  genteel,  well- 
educated,  lovers  of  field  sports  and  attached  to 
their  section  and  its  traditions.  They  had  not 
reached  the  age  of  reflection  and  inquiry;  they 
took   things  as  they  found    them,   because   these 


Prologue  Z7 

things  had  continued  through  a  respectable  space 
of  time  and  must  be  right. 

Both  young  men  were  filled  with  martial  spirit 
and  hoped  eagerly  for  war.  They  had  acquii-ed, 
partly  through  their  own  zealous  imaginings,  exag- 
gerated ideas  of  the  dangers  that  threatened  South- 
ern traditions  and  civilization.  What  actually  did 
happen  they  never  once  foresaw.  When  the  con- 
versation took  a  favorable  turn,  Howard  asked  : 
' '  Are  the  Yankees  talking  of  war,  Uncle  Felix  ? ' ' 

' '  Not  so  much  as  they  are  talking  of  the  Con- 
stitution and  the  Union,"  answered  the  parson. 
''  The  abolition  sentiment  is  gaining  every  day  — 
not  gaining  in  numbers,  for  as  far  as  I  can  see 
there  has  been  only  one  feeling  since  I  have  lived 
in  the  North,  but  the  different  factions  are  becom- 
ing united.  The  people  there  don't  talk  much 
about  war,  but  I  believe  they  would  go  to  war  to 
enforce  their  principles." 

"Enforce  their  principles  on  others.  I  reckon," 
said  Major  Lewis. 

"But  they  are  not  much  fighters,  are  they?" 
asked  Howard,  and  not  waiting  for  an  answer, 
for  the  question  was  well  settled  in  his  own  mind, 
he  continued:  "They  are  better  traders  than  fight- 
ers. I  was  reading  only  a  few  days  back,  in  a 
history  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  that  the  strong- 
est Tories  in  the  country  were  the  merchants  of 
New  England.  The  author  said  they  opposed 
war  from  fear  that  it  would  injure  trade;  but  all 
that  changed  when  England  taxed  their  goods. 
Then  they  got  crazy  and  tried  to  make  tea  of  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  Perhaps  they  have  as  good 
principles  now  as^  they  had  then." 


28  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  Yes,  that  was  the  unholy  influence  of  com- 
merce," said  Felix.  "And  I  am  told  that  the 
traders  and  financiers  of  Boston  and  New  York 
would  be  strongly  opposed  to  war  now  on  the 
same  ground." 

"Trade  is  necessary  with  our  busy,  compli- 
cated civilization,  and  I  have  often  regretted  that 
the  South  has  given  so  little  attention  to  it;  but 
at  the  same  time  it  is  utterly  destructive  of  princi- 
ples and  patriotism,"  said  Major  Lewis. 

"Well,  then,  I  reckon  they  will  fight  to  defend 
their  money,"  persisted  Howard. 

"  I  hope  and  pray  that  they  will  not  be  called 
upon  to  fight  at  all,"  said  the  Colonel. 

"Amen!"  responded  the  Reverend  Felix,  in 
good  Methodist  time. 

' '  And  I  hope  not,  and  Mrs.  Lewis  prays  the 
same  way,  don't  you,  my  dear?  "  said  the  Major, 
who  had  fully  recovered  from  the  abnormally 
serious  strain  under  the  influence  of  which  he  had 
spoken  of  trade  without  jesting. 

As  they  parted  after  supper  Mrs.  Lewis  asked: 
"Shall  we  have  preaching  in  the  Assembly 
to-morrow,   Colonel  Grayson?" 

"  Yes,  Madam.  Mr.  Sexton  can  not  come,  but 
I  spoke  to  Uncle  Phil  early  in  the  week,  and  he 
has  promised  to  give  us  another  of  his  sermons, 
one  of  his  best." 

' '  I  overheard  him  practicing  on  it  out  back  of 
the  barns  this  morning  right  early,"  said  the 
Major.  "He  said  he  was  '  projeckin'  roun'  in 
hisself  to  see  if  the  sperit  war  thar','  and  I  think 
he  found  it  all  right.  Felix,  I  am  charged,  un- 
justly I  protest,  with  bearing  malice  to  the  cloth, 


Prologue  _29 

but  there  is  one  preacher  I  love  and  like  to  listen 
to.     He  is  a  slave  and  a  nigger,  but  a  good  man," 

"  What,  Rodenj,  do  you  have  a  negro  slave  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  you  ?  "  asked  Felix,  with 
surprise.  , 

"Sometimes,"  answered  the  Colonel,  calmly, 
"Uncle  Phil  preaches  very  well,  and  there  is  not 
a  holier  man  living.  He  has  preached  to  his 
people  forty  years.  I  enjoy  listening  to  him. 
Major  Lewis,  will  you  join  Brother  Felix  and  me 
for  a  walk  ^  "  Then  in  an  undertone  he  added, 
"There  is  no  reason  why  the  Major  should  not 
participate  in  our  conversation  ? ' ' 

"  Not  in  the  least,  especially  as  my  message 
may  be  of  advantage  to  him  as  well  as  to  your- 
self." 

They  walked  back  to  some  benches  quite  safely 
remote  from  the  houses.  Before  taking  his  seat 
the  Major  drew  some  cigars  from  his  pocket  and 
offering  one  to  the  minister,  said  in  his  most 
courteous  manner  :  ' '  Felix,  for  I  can  not  call  you 
Mr.  Grayson,  and  'Parson'  is  a  word  of  reproach 
in  my  mouth,  won't  you  join  the  Colonel  and  me 
in  a  cigar  ?  I  remember  the  last  time  you  were 
at  Elmington,  and  that  we  had  several  pleasant 
smokes   together. ' ' 

"  I  do  not  smoke  any  more.  Major  Lewis.  I 
often  fancy  that  a  cigar  would  leave  a  very  pleas- 
ant taste  in  my  mouth,  but  in  the  North  the 
clergy  does  not  use  the  weed.  We  do  not  think 
it  a  sin  per  se,  but  the  sentiment  against  it  is 
strong.  I  know  it  is  different  down  here.  With 
us  it  is  largely  a  matter  of  appearance." 

' '  Not  very  sound  doctrine,  Felix,     If,  with  the 


30  In  THE  Wake  OF  War 

Catholics,  you  abstained  during  certain  seasons  to 
mortify  the  flesh,  it  would  be  quite  a  different 
affair.  As  for  its  influence,  that  's  a  debatable 
question.  For  instance,  when  I  sit  and  smoke 
with  Mr,  Sexton,  who  preaches  here,  I  forget  or 
excuse  his  poor  sermons.  He  squares  himself 
with  me  every  Sunday  evening  after  service,  when 
ho  is  here,  with  a  good  cigar. ' ' 

"I  will  try  to  square  myself  by  other  means," 
said  Felix.  "I  came  down  here  to  talk  with 
Brother  Rodeny  on  a  matter  of  great  importance 
to  him,  and  he  has  seen  fit  to  include  you  in  the 
conversation.  It  is  the  prospective  emancipation 
of  the  slaves.  I  think  the  day  is  not  far  distant 
when  this  will  be  done.  What  do  the  people  of 
the  South  think  of  it?" 

"Oh,  there  are  all  sorts  of  ideas,  but  they  all 
arrive  at  one  conclusion,  namely,  that  it  will  not 
be  done.  Most  of  us  are  nigger  poor,  bankrupt 
with  niggers;  and  some  do  not  care  if  they  are 
freed,  while  others  love  the  institution  and  believe 
in  it.  That  is  the  only  thing  that  Rodeny  and  I 
continually  disagree  about.  For  myself,  I  believe 
in  negro  slavery  and  our  Southern  civilization. 
Rodeny  has  his  doubts  about  the  former,  but 
clings  as  tenaciously  to  the  latter  as  I  do.  So  it 
is  all  over  this  Section." 

"But  has  not  the  threatening  attitude  of  the 
North  affected  the  slave  market  ?  "   asked  Felix. 

"We  pay  little  heed  to  the  market  in  our  parts," 
answered  the  Major.  ' '  Nobody  here  ever  sells 
slaves,  except  Jonas  Smith,  and  for  the  life  of  me 
I  don't  know  where  he  disposes  of  the  few  he  has 
to  handle.     Everybody  I  know  hates  the  nigger 


Prologue  31 

trader  so  tarnally  that  he  is  seldom  spoken  to. 
You  remember  Mr.  Raymond  Hunter,  who  lived 
down  the  pike  about  two  miles  from  Elmington  ? 
His  plantation  got  overstocked  with  slaves  and  he 
bought  a  big  tract  of  cotton  land  in  Arkansas,  go- 
ing heavily  into  debt.  Well,  a  big  freshet  washed 
away  his  first  crop,  and  the  price  dropped  on  his 
second,  ruining  him.  He  was  sold  out  at  bank- 
rupt sale  —  lands  first,  by  special  request,  for  the 
Hunters  never  had  sold  a  slave.  The  lands  did 
not  pay  him  out,  and  the  negroes  were  taken  to 
Memphis  on  the  plea  that  the  market  was  better 
there,  but  in  fact  because  Mr.  Hunter  could  not 
abide  the  sight  of  his  slaves  on  the  auction-block. 
I  am  told  that  they  brought  a  tolerable  price,  but 
not  enough  to  pay  him  out." 

"My  purpose  in  coming  down  at  this  time  was 
to  beseech  Rodeny  to  dispose  of  the  bulk  of  his 
slave  property,  of  course  not  those  to  whom  he 
is  most  attached.  But  emancipation  is  surely 
coming  —  it's  only  a  question  of  time  —  and  the 
loss  of  so  much  property  at  once  would  be  ruinous 

to  you  both.     Youi-  plantations  are  overstocked 

the  negroes  are  in  each  other's  way,  why  not  sell 
a  portion  of  them?  "  said  Felix,  exhibiting  more 
discretion  than  he  had  done  in  his  younger  days. 

"For  myself,  Felix,"  answered  the  Colonel, 
"I  can  not  sell  a  slave.  To  emancipate  them 
voluntarily,  and  throw  them  upon  the  world  would 
be  a  crime.  My  negroes  can  nearly  all  read  and 
write,  but  they  are  not  prepared  for  liberty,  and 
could  not  become  so  in  three  generations.  Our 
father  never  was  satisfied  with  the  institution,  but 
all  his  intellect  could  not  devise  a  solution  to  the 


32  In  the  Wake  of  War 

problem.  Bad  as  he  thought  the  system,  the 
ways  out  looked  even  worse.  I  reckon  we  shall 
just  have  to  let  events  shape  themselves,  and,  if  a 
change  comes,  shift  ourselves  to  fit  it." 

"What  do  you  think  of  my  advice,  Major 
Lewis?"  asked    Felix. 

"  lu  results  the  same  as  your  brother.  I  am 
satisfied,  only  that  the  negroes  are  getting  so 
thick  and  trifling  on  my  plantation  that  it  wears 
me  out  to  make  them  grow  their  own  bread  and 
meat.  You  will  excuse  me,  Felix,  but  I  think 
you  are  too  much  alarmed  over  the  situation.  A 
system  so  old  and  thoroughly  established  can  not 
be  overthrown  in  a  day.  Slavery  was  introduced 
into  the  country  by  New  England  people,  and 
while  they  have  long  since  abandoned  it,  I  do  not 
believe  they  will  have  the  hardihood  to  say  that 
we  shall  not  practice  it.  They  found  the  climate 
too  severe  for  the  African,  sold  him  to  us,  and 
having  saved  themselves  at  our  expense,  will 
scarcely  demand  that  we  throw  the  property 
away." 

"But,  Major,  I  can  not  be  mistaken  in  the 
sentiment  of  the  North.  The  clergy  is  a  unit, 
and  I  am  asked  to  preach  on  the  subject  regu- 
larly every  month.  You  see  they  know  that  I 
was  raised  down  here  and  understand  the  matter 
thoroughly.  I  have  calls  to  preach  and  lecture  on 
it  from  all  over  my  State." 

' '  We  are  certainly  grateful  to  you,  Felix,  for 
the  warning,  but  you  will  not  press  us  for  an 
answer  to-night,"  said  the  Colonel.  "The  pro- 
posed sale  of  his  slaves  touches  the  tenderest 
chords  of  the  Southern  gentleman's  heart;  besides, 


Prologue  33_ 

in  the  case  of  the  Major  and  myself,  there  are  old 
family  customs  and  traditions.  If  there  is  noth- 
ing more  to  say,  we  will  join  the  company  for 
the  evening's   entertainment." 

Sunday  came,  and  Uncle  Phil  gave  his  best 
sermon,  which  for  spirituality  was  a  good  lesson 
for  the  visiting  clergyman.  Early  Monday  morn- 
ing the  carriage  was  driven  up,  and  Felix  Grayson, 
with  many  and  fervent  calls  upon  fraternal  good- 
will, took  his  departure. 


An  Army  of  Peace 

THE  old  South  field  turnpike  had  thronged  with 
returning  grey-coats  for  more  than  a  month. 
As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  up  and  down  its 
winding  course,  were  soldiers  in  grey  —  some 
on  foot,  some  on  horses  or  mules,  some  in  old, 
creaking  wagons,  some  lying  upon  the  grass  by 
the  roadside.  They  moved  or  rested  in  squads  of 
a  dozen  or  so,  in  pairs,  sometimes  singly.  Many 
stopped  to  rest  from  over-exertion  or  to  soothe  in 
sleep  the  pangs  of  hunger  to  which  they  were  well 
accustomed,  and  never  awoke. 

But  they  were  soldiers  only  in  the  color  and 
trimmings  of  their  clothing.  There  was  nothing 
exciting,  nothing  precise  and  military,  nothing 
dramatic  on  the  surface.  There  was  that  quiet 
resignation  that  only  attends  silent  tragedy  of  the 
heart.  The  customs  and  traditions  of  a  civiliza- 
tion the  most  ideal  that  the  world  has  ever  seen 
had  been  staked  on  the  single  die,  war,  and  the 
thi'ow  was  lost. 

This  broken  and  jaded  procession  might  have 
resembled  a  funeral  of  one  of  the  gods,  only  that 
it  lacked  the  punctuality  and  dignity  of  organized, 
well-managed  mourning.  There  was  no  blaring 
of  trumpets,  no  piping  of  fifes,  no  beating  of 
drums.  An  occasional  man  carried  a  gun,  but  it 
was  not  a  musket,  rather  an  old  rifle,  a  family 
heirloom,  with  which  his  father  or  grandfather 
had  shot  deer  when  Tennessee  was  a  wilderness. 

34 


An  Army  of  Peace  35 

Scarcely  a  man  spoke.  The  only  sounds  one 
could  hear  were  the  heavy,  irregular  tread  on  the 
limestone  macadam,  the  shuffling  step  of  the  tired 
and  sick,  the  creak  and  rumble  of  the  wagons,  and 
the  whinny  of  a  half-famished  horse.  Only  when 
some  one  broke  from  his  traveling  squad  to  take 
one  of  the  off-shooting  country  roads  to  reach  his 
home  was  there  a  general  exclamation ;  and  then 
a  dozen  weak,  hungry  voices  would  call  out: 
"Good-bye,  old  comrade;  God  bless  you!"  "It 
may  be  better  than  you  think!"  "Make  the  best 
of  it!  "  or  something  of  the  like. 

The  eyes  of  the  men  were  cast  down;  their 
faces,  browned  and  soiled  by  years  of  exposure, 
were  sad  and  anxious.  They  minded  not  their 
own  tattered  appearance.  They  were  accustomed 
to  that.  Their  solicitude  was  for  loved  ones  at 
home  —  the  same  spectre  that  had  haunted  camp 
and  march  and  battle-field  for  four  long  years;  for 
now  that  the  strain  and  distraction  of  conflict  was 
over,  this  anxiety  became  the  one  engrossing  pas- 
sion. They  scarcely  noticed  the  wasted  fields, 
the  wrecked  buildings,  the  worn  and  gullied  turn- 
pike. 

There  was  not  a  trace  of  resentment  or  war  in 
any  countenance. 

This  was  the  remnant  of  a  once  splendid  army 
—  an  army  drawn  from  a  people  possessed  of  true 
military  spirit  —  and  to  such  the  verdict  of  Arms 
is  the  voice  of  Jehovah.  While  there  was  hope, 
they  asked  no  quarter;  as  hope  gave  place  to  des- 
peration, they  invited  no  clemency;  when,  at  last, 
exhaustion  claimed  them  one  and  all,  they  de- 
manded no  mercy.     To  such,  defeat  is  the  keenest 


36  In  the  Wake  of  War 

chastisement.  But,  if  it  were  needful  to  add 
punishment  to  the  agony  of  defeat,  they  stood 
with  bowed  heads  to  receive  it. 

It  was  now  more  than  a  month  since  they  had 
accepted,  with  General  Lee,  the  most  magnani- 
mous terms  of  surrender  ever  imposed  by  an  un- 
qualified victor;  and  ever  since  the  dispersal  of 
the  insurrection  and  the  capitulation  of  the  Gov- 
ernment set  up  in  Richmond,  this  straggling  line 
of  returning  soldiers  had  been  continuous.  First 
came  the  army  of  Tennessee,  such  as  went  out 
from  the  Middle  States  and  far  West;  and  they 
were  followed  by  the  men  from  the  magnificent 
army  of  Virginia. 

There  were  about  a  dozen  men  in  the  group  to 
which  Howard  Grayson  and  Manning  Lewis  had 
attached  themselves  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
Blue  Ridge  Mountains.  Together  they  had  en- 
dured the  perils  and  privations  of  war,  and  to- 
gether they  had  endured  the  taunts  and  humil- 
iations cast  upon  them  during  their  homeward 
journey  by  guerrilla  mountaineers.  Together  they 
had  discussed  through  many  a  weary  mile  the  new 
order  of  things  at  home,  and  had  agreed  on  the 
peaceful  course  each  should  pursue. 

Grayson  and  Lewis  were  among  the  first  in 
Middle  Tennessee  to  respond  to  the  confused  and 
hurried  call  for  troops  to  defend  the  traditions 
and  rights  of  their  State  from  supposed  assault. 
For  four  years  they  had  followed  the  hazard  of 
their  cause  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  youth  and 
the  valor  of  patriotic  breeding;  and  now  they 
were  returning  home,  their  cause  crushed,  their 
enthusiasm  worked  and  starved  out,  but  with  new 


An  Army  of  Peace  37. 

aud  broader  ideas  of  patriotism.  A  patriotism 
not  for  State  or  Section  alone,  but  for  the  whole 
Countrj. 

Their  squad  had  halted  at  the  divergence  of  a 
little  country  road  that  led  off  to  the  west,  by 
which  Grayson  and  Lewis  could  reach  their  old 
liome  in  a  few  hours'  ride. 

A  lengthy  farewell  would  have  brought  a  deluge 
of  memories  that  all  instinctively  avoided;  and, 
with  a  shake  of  hands  all  around  and  a  hearty 
"God-speed,"  the  two  young  men,  followed  by 
Pleas,  Howard  Grayson's  negro  servant,  rode  olf 
by  themselves. 

As 'they  passed  over  a  little  hill  that  cut  off 
their  last  view  of  the  turnpike  and  its  peaceful 
army,  Manning  Lewis  broke  the  silence. 

"Well,  Howard,  the  last  suggestion  of  our  suf- 
ferings has  gone  out  of  sight;  I  wish  we  could  get 
shut  of  the  memory  of  them  as  quickly." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Howard,  "  but  we  can't.  I  'm 
not  certain  yet  that  we  shall  want  to  forget  even 
the  miseries  of  our  camp  life.  If  the  result  is  to 
be  what  I  hope  for,  and  what  we  may  reasonably 
expect  from  the  terms  of  surrender,  we  shall  need 
a  bit  of  sombre  in  the  background  to  relieve  the 
pleasant  recollections  we  are  carrying  home." 

' '  There  's  a  plenty  of  sombre  in  the  background ; 
no  trouble  about  that.  Ho,  there  is  a  creek  and 
my  old  Rosinante  is  so  jaded  we  must  stop  for 
water  and  rest.  I  wanted  to  halt  at  the  last 
creek,  but  I  remembered  this  little  ford  and 
thought  we  could    have  a  quiet   talk   together." 

They  dismounted,  took  the  worn  saddles  from 
their   horses,    turned    them   over   to    Pleas,    and 


38  In  the  Wake  of  War 

threw  themselves  on  the  grass  at  the  roadside. 
For  some  moments  they  lay  in  silence,  each  deep 
in  his  own  thoughts.  Presently  Manning  said, 
without  looking  at  his  companion:  "Please  let 
me  see  again  your  last  letter  from  home.'" 

Howard  took  from  an  inside  pocket  in  his  coat 
a  carefully  wrapped  parcel,  and  selecting  the 
letter  asked  for,  handed  it  to  Lewis.  Manning 
looked  a  moment  at  the  envelope,  and  whimsically 
remarked:  "That  is  a  mighty  common  work  of 
art — that  postage  stamp.  It  looks  like  the  label 
on  a  bottle  of  Greenbriar  whisky.  I  reckon  it 
will  take  rank  soon  with  other  relics  and  curios 
and  become  respectable  in  a  collection  of  old 
coins,  and-so-forth. ' ' 

"It  always  was  an  ugly  design,  but,  you  see 
our  people  knew  little  about  that  sort  of  thing. 
Our  fellows  have  cultivated  the  art  of  oratory  and 
the  science  of  arms,  and  have  left  the  practical 
machinery  of  life  to  the  Yankees.  There  is  one 
reason,  and  the  main  one,  why  you  and  I  are  rid- 
ing home  on  these  sorry-looking  horses,  licked 
beyond  recognition,  with  coat-sleeves  out  at  the 
elbows  and  toes  peeping  through  our  shoes.  As 
I  look  back  at  it  now  I  wonder  that  our  cause, 
however  righteous,  could  have  stood  so  long, 
guarded  l)y  such  impractical  men.  If  we  go  home 
and  take  hold  of  life  in  a  businesslike  manner,  I 
believe  the  Southern  States  will  make  the  prac- 
tical policy  of  this  country  as  easily  as  they  have 
dominated  the  theoretical  part  since  the  first  Fed- 
eral compact  was  signed." 

"Philosophizing  again, '^  muttered  Lewis,  with- 
out taking  his  eyes  from  the  borrowed  letter,  which 


An  Army  of  Peace  39 

he  was  now  reading  for  the  twentieth  time. 
' '  That  is  the  best  letter  Mary  Lou  has  written 
since  we  've  been  out.  You  notice  that  she  says 
the  last  news  from  the  East  is  more  encouraging, 
but  with  all  that  she  seems  to  anticipate  the  end. 
These  women  can  better  distinguish  the  hectic 
flush  that  precedes  death  from  the  bloom  of 
health,  a  thousand  miles  from  the  patient,  than  we 
men  can  right  on  the  ground."' 

"  All  of  which  fine  discourse  leads  up  to  the 
subject  that  has  worried  me  more  than  any  other 
since  we  started  home,"  said  Grayson.  "No 
fellow  ever  longed  for  home  more  than  I  do,  and 
yet  I  dread  to  meet  with  Mary  Lou.  It  is  hard 
to  stand  before  a  woman  with  a  case  of  failure  on 
one's  hands.  Mary  Lou  has  seen  this  end  for 
more  than  a  year,  yet  she  is  right  now  dying  from 
disappointment.  A  woman  can  manage  her  own 
defeats,  but  when  one  of  us  falls  below  grade, 
it  just  seems  to  kill  her.  She  believes  you  and  I 
have  done  our  little  parts  well,  but  she  can  not 
realize  that  any  cause  we  adopt  so  heartily  can 
fail." 

"But  Mary  Lou  is  a  very  reasonable  person; 
she  will  not  complain,"  put  in  Lewis. 

"  That  is  one  more  difliculty.  She  will  over- 
whelm me  with  affection;  first,  because  it  is  her 
nature,  and  next,  because  she  will  be  scared  lest 
I  discover  her  mortification.  I  don't  know  how 
to  act,  for  I  can't  quite  study  out  how  the  matter 
will  be." 

"It  will  end  like  those  paper-covered  novels 
did  that  we  used  to  read  and  carry  back  and  forth 
—  with  orange  blossoms.     I  propose  to  overlook 


40  In  the  Wake  of  War 

all  the  intervening  annoyances,  and  keep  my  eye 
fixed  on  that  happy  end.  Here  is  your  letter,  old 
fellow,  let's  be  going." 

They  rode  in  silence  most  of  the  afternoon,  for 
every  stretch  of  landscape  invoked  memories  of 
other  times. 

It  was  a  glorious  day  in  middle  May  —  that 
period  when  nature  is  most  beautiful  and  prom- 
ising in  the  South.  They  remarked  the  small 
number  of  persons  they  met  by  the  way,  and 
especially  the  absence  of  negroes.  As  they  halted 
for  a  few  moments  in  the  shade  of  a  giant  oak, 
Pleas  said:  "I  wonders  whar  all  de  niggers  is, 
Mars  Howard  ?  I  ain'  seen  sech  scaceness  of 
niggers  in  dese  parts  in  all   my   bornM    days." 

"I  can't  tell  you,  Pleas,"  answered  Grayson. 
' '  1  reckon  they  have  gone  North,  or  to  the  cities. 
Miss  Mary  Lou  wrote  me  that  after  the  negroes 
were  made  free  many  of  them  left  the  plantations 
and  moved  to  the  cities." 

"  I  doan  see  nothin'  dey  bed  to  move,  said 
Pleas  with  a  chuckle,  as  if  he  enjoyed  the  help- 
less condition  of  the  ambitious  freedmen.  "Dey 
better  stay  whar  dey  was,  with  deir  marsters  and 
mistises." 

The  evening  was  far  advanced  when  they 
reached  the  top  of  the  long,  high  hill  that  divided 
the  two  valleys  in  which  they  were  born  and 
raised.  Down  the  summit  or  "  backbone"  of  this 
hill  led  the  road  by  which  Manning  Lewis  was  to 
reach  his  father's  house  a  few  miles  to  the  south. 
The  "straight-forward  road"  brought  Howard 
Grayson  into  the  beautiful  and  fertile  valley  of 
Opal  Creek,  where  Elmington  had  been  famous  for 


An  Army  of  Peace  4^ 

nearly  a  century  as  one  of  the  richest  plantations 
in  Middle  Tennessee. 

The  view  from  the  rugged  old  hill-top  had  been 
one  of  the  attractions  of  the  neighborhood  for  years, 
and  before  the  war  hundreds  of  parties  had  driven 
there  on  picnic  occasions  to  watch  the  sunset. 
This  was  the  very  season  when  it  was  to  be  seen 
at  its  greatest  glory.  Just  across  the  narrow 
valley  of  the  Opal  the  disc  of  the  sun  had  dropped 
behind  the  hills  that  formed  its  western  boundary ; 
and  the  jagged,  irregular  line  of  the  horizon,  that 
followed  the  peaks  and  caverns  of  the  range,  was 
ablaze  with  red  and  gold.  This  threatening 
splendor  of  color  flamed  and  shot  high  up  the 
firmament,  shading  into  purple  and  gray,  until  all 
were  lost  in  the  peace  of  infinite  blue  at  the  sum- 
mit of  the  dome  above  their  heads. 

They  sat  for  some  moments  regarding  the 
familiar  scene,  forgetting  the  ardor  of  their  home- 
going.  Then  Howard  turned  and  said  :  ' '  How 
natural  it  looks.  For  the  moment  I  clear  forgot 
that  I  had  been  away  from  home.  Here,  Man- 
ning, is  a  panorama  of  our  position.  The  strifes 
and  contentions  of  the  last  four  years  are  repre- 
sented by  the  fire  of  the  parting  day,  and  all  are 
passing  into  night  and  oblivion.  The  East, 
whence  comes  new  life  and  dawn,  is  all  blue  and 
peaceful." 

"Very  pretty,"  answered  Lewis,  "but  how 
about  those  black  thunder-heads  that  seem  to  be 
rolling  in  over  the  hills  to  the  north;  do  they  cut 
any  figure  in  this  prophecy  ?  " 

"You  never  did  appreciate  my  philosophy, 
and   I   won't  waste  any   more  time  on  you  this 


42  In  the  Wake  of  war 

evening,  especially  as  mj  father  and  sister  are 
waiting  for  me  this  very  moment.  Come,  Pleas, 
let 's  go." 

"Give  my  best  regards  to  Mary  Lou  and  yom* 
father;  and  tell  Mary  Lou  that  I  shall  give 
myself  the  pleasure  of  calling  on  her  right  soon," 

"Good-night,  Manning.  Regards  to  all  the 
folks." 

"Good-night,  Howard,"  and  each  rode  off 
to  resume  the  family  ties,  laid  aside  for  those 
of  State  four  years  before. 


Home  Again 

FULL  an  hour's  time  was  taken  in  covering  the 
four  miles  that  lay  between  the  forks  of  the 
road  where  Howard  Grayson  parted  with  his  com- 
rade and  his  father's  house.  Impatience,  a  taint 
foreign  to  his  breeding  and  habit,  showed  itself  in 
a  cruel  use  of  whip  and  spur;  and  for  once  he 
heard  not,  or  heeded  not,  the  admonition  of 
Fleas. 

When  he  drew  before  the  entrance  to  the  house- 
lot  he  saw  by  the  dim  light  that  the  massive  gate 
was  no  longer  there.  It  had  guarded  the  place 
since  his  earliest  remembrance.  One  great  mar- 
ble post  lay  prone  on  the  ground;  the  other  top- 
pled wearily. 

"I  laik  t'  know  who  kerried  off  our  gyate  an' 
broke  our  postes!  "   said  Pleas,  in  surprise. 

"Oh,  they  have  had  some  war  here  while  we 
have  been  in  Virginia,"  answered  Howard,  as  they 
rode  into  the  yard.  Poor  Pleas!  He  had  never 
once  thought  but  that  he  had  seen  every  skirmish 
and  battle  of  his  day  and  generation. 

As  they  rode  up  the  winding  drive  among  the 
trees  of  the  lawn,  Howard  saw  the  gleam  of  a 
light  through  the  library  window;  he  thought  it 
looked  more  faint  than  it  used  to  in  the  good  old 
times.  He  sprang  eagerly  from  his  saddle  and 
rushed  to  the  front  door.  It  was  bolted.  He 
could    not  remember   ever  before  to  have  found 

43 


44  In  the  Wake  of  War 

that  door  locked.  He  recalled  the  oft-made 
remark  of  his  father  :  ' '  Locks  and  bolts  are  an 
evidence  of  inhospitality;  Elmington  has  been 
open  for  near  a  century  to  friend  or  stranger." 
To  his  fiery  shake  of  the  knob  there  was  no 
response  save  a  hollow  echo ;  so  he  ran  to  the  side 
of  the  house,  beneath  the  lighted  window  and 
called:  "Father,  Sister,  undo  the  door!  It  is 
Howard!  " 

For  all  the  anxiety  of  the  moment  he  noted  the 
childishness  of  his  own  voice.  He  was  a  captain, 
and  for  more  than  a  year  had  delivered  commands 
in  what  he  thought  were  tones  of  authority.  That, 
after  all,  was  assumed;  in  the  presence  of  his 
father  and  sister,  in  the  atmosphere  of  his  child- 
hood, he  was  a  boy  again. 

His  call  was  answered  by  a  scream  of  joy  from 
Mary  Lou,  and  the  heavy  tread  of  his  father  com- 
ing dovm  the  hall  to  draw  the  bolts.  The  door 
opened. 

"Howard!  Brother!"  cried  Mary  Lou,  spring- 
ing into  his  arms. 

Then  holding  the  trembling  light  near,  the 
father  looked  closely  at  his  son's  features  and 
into  his  eyes  for  a  moment.  "  Oh,  Howard,  you 
are  well!  Howard  is  home,  and  well!  Good, 
good  !  "  he  cried.  He  walked  nervously  from 
side  to  side,  holding  the  hand  of  his  son,  and 
muttering:  "This  is  fine,  this  is  fine!"  For  once 
the  man  of  perfect  poise  was  childish.  How  hap- 
pily the  discipline  of  a  lifetime  in  overcoming  a 
display  of  emotions  is  brought  to  collapse  in  one 
supreme  moment  like  this! 


Home  Again  45. 

The  first  greetings  over,  Colonel  Grayson  called 
into  the  darkness:  <' Pleas,  are  you  there?"  A 
flash  of  ivory  and  the  whites  of  two  eyes  reflected 
the  dim  light  of  the  candle  out  of  the  shadows  of 
the  night;  a  voice  that  broke  with  sobs,  answered: 
"  Yas,  suh,  Marster,  bless  de  Lawd,  I  is,  thank 
yo'." 

"  Good  again  !  "  cried  the  Colonel. 

"Howd'y,  Pleas""  called  Mary  Lou  through 
her  tears. 

"Do  not  try  to  find  the  stable,  Pleas,  but  turn 
the  stock  loose  in  the  yard;  they  can  do  no  harm. 
Then  come  into  the  house,  I  want  to  shake  your 
hand,"  said  the  Colonel. 

The  father  led  the  way  down  the  great  hall  that 
looked  strangely  vacant  and  gave  forth  an  echo 
with  every  step.  In  the  library  they  sat  down, 
Howard  in  the  old  porch  chair,  with  his  father 
and  Mary  Lou  on  either  side. 

' '  Now,  Brother  dear,  do  not  look  about  this  old 
room,  but  tell  us  how  you  have  been.  How  you 
look  in  whiskers  !  Did  —  did  all  the  soldiers  wear 
whiskers  home  ? " 

"No,  Sister.  One  lieutenant  in  my  company. 
Lieutenant  Lewis  —  Lieutenant  Manning  Lewis  is 
his  full  name  and  title  —  got  a  clean  shave  this 
very  morning  beside  the  pike,  while  our  horses 
nipped  a  little  grass.  Pleas  held  him  while  I  per- 
formed the  operation,  and  the  Lieutenant  still  lives. 
Is  that  enough  on  the  whisker  subject  ?  " 

"Yes,  you  dear  captain  brother.  But  —  but 
were  you  sick  ?     Was  Pleas  sick  ?  " 

"I  was  sick  many  times,  but  the  hospital  rec- 
ord was  not  honored  with  our  proud  and  ancient 


46  In  the  Wake  of  War 

name.  Pleas  and  the  Lieutenant  nursed  me  so 
carefully  that  I  was  not  off  duty  for  two  days  in 
succession.  Pleas  had  a  touch  of  ague,  but  he 
never  gave  up;  he  is  a  resolute  fellow  in  sick- 
ness." 

"  God  bless  Pleas  !  "  cried  the  Colonel.  "He 
has  been  a  faithful  servant." 

"  And  friend,"  broke  in  Howard. 

"  Yes,  my  son,  a  faithful  negro  is  the  best  and 
most  constant  friend  a  soldier  can  have.  We  owe 
much  to  them  here.  They  protected  your  sister 
from  embarrassments  when  I  should  have  failed; 
and  what  little  we  have  left  in  the  house  from  the 
old  time  we  owe  to  their  fidelity  —  often  to  their 
duplicity.  But  I  hear  Pleas  at  the  kitchen  door; 
I  must  go  and  let  him  in.  I  cannot  rest  until 
I  shake  his  honest  black  hand,  and  thank  him." 

"  Bring  Pleas  in  here,  Father,"  said  Mary  Lou, 
"I  want  to  see  his  good  old  face  again." 

The  scene  that  came  with  the  meeting  of  master 
and  slave  is  one  that  an  artist  would  shrink  from 
the  task  of  describing.  It  portrayed  one  of  the 
mysterious  and  indescribable  conditions  of  this 
most  idealic  civilization  —  the  relations  existing 
between  the  white  master  and  his  black  chattel. 
In  vain  the  world  outside  of  this  almost  fairy  life 
will  try  to  understand  it.  In  vain  genius  will 
struggle  to  picture  it.  The  condition  has  vanished, 
and  those  who  knew  it  and  felt  its  peculiar  charm 
are  passing  away. 

After  a  full  exchange  of  greetings,  Colonel 
Grayson  said:  "  Pleas,  there  is  no  suitable  place 
for  you  at  the  quarters,  so  you  shall  have  a  room 
in  the  house  as  long  as  you  like.     The  negroes 


Home  Again  47 

have  all  left,  except  Uncle  Phil  and  Aunt  Manda. 
You  understand  you  are  no  longer  a  slave;  that 
you  have  full  liberty." 

"  Dat'  s  jes'  what  ray  young  marster  been  tellin' 
all  de  way  home,  but  Pleas  doan  wan'  no  lib'ty. 
I 's  goin'  down  an'  set  dem  gyate  postes  right  soon 
in  de  mawnin'.  I  doan  wan'  no  lib'ty.  I 's  de 
gladdes'  nigger  yo'  err  seen  to  git  home  with 
Mars  Howard,  safe  an'  soun',  an'  fine  yo'  an' 
Miss  Mary  Lou  jes'  as  kine  an'  good  as  err." 

"Well,  Pleas,  we  will  talk  more  of  that  to- 
morrow. Mary  Lou,  have  you  a  candle  for  Pleas  ? 
Good-night,  boy.  Don't  rise  too  soon  in  the 
morning,  for  you  must  be  in  need  of  rest,"  said 
the  Colonel,  as  Pleas  left  the  room. 

Father  and  children  talked  well  into  the  night, 
the  conversation  running  on  the  war  as  Howard 
had  seen  it  in  the  field.  Never  once  were  the 
deprivations  and  humiliations  that  had  visited  the 
home  in  his  absence  alluded  to.  The  eyes  of  the 
young  soldier  wandered  about  the  library,  resting 
from  time  to  time  on  familiar  objects  that  called 
up,  each  in  turn,  a  deluge  of  happy  remembrances. 

At  last  tired  nature  announced  herself  in  a  yawn 
from  Howard,  at  which  the  Colonel  arose  quickly, 
saying:  "We  quite  forget  in  our  joy  of  reunion 
that  you  are  very  much  exhausted.  Go  to  rest 
now,  my  son,  and  in  the  morning  we  will  talk  of 
other  things." 

As  Mary  Lou  arose  to  bid  her  brother  good- 
night, and  came  in  the  full  glare  of  the  sputtering 
candle,  Howard  noticed  for  the  first  time  her 
dress,  which  was  of  homespun  cotton  dyed  with 
the  dull  coloring  of  some  native  barks.     He  could 


48  In  THE  Wake  OF  War 

not  restrain  his  surprise,  and  exclaimed :  ' '  Where 
in  the  name  of  the  Lost  Cause  did  you  get  that 
dress,  Mary  Lou  ?  " 

' '  Why,  Brother,  you  've  completely  lost  track 
of  styles  since  you  became  a  captain.  You  need 
to  study  fashion  plates.  This  is  the  very  latest 
thing  —  for  the  South.  It  is  proper,  because  all 
the  finest  ladies  of  our  acquaintance  wear  the 
same.  Aunt  Helen  and  I  spun  and  wove,  not 
only  this,  but  the  cloth  for  father's  Sunday  suit. 
Don't  you  like  it?"  she  asked,  swinging  herself 
around  with  perceptible  pride  to  give  him  a  full 
view  of  the  garment. 

"It  is  surely  verj^  neat,  and  fits  you  more  than 
fairly;  but  I  can  not  recall  my  sister  in  such  a 
dress.     Who  was  the  modiste  ?  " 

"The  manufacturer  turns  out  the  whole  gar- 
ment. You  did  n't  think  I  could  make  and  fit  a 
dress  ?     Have  n't  you  heard  the  song:  — 

'  This  homespun  dress  is  plain,  I  know, 
My  hat 's  palmetto,  too, 
But  then  it  shows  what  Southern  girls 
For  Southern  rights  will  do. 
We  've  sent  the  bravest  of  our  land 
To  battle  with  the  foe, 
And  we  would  lend  a  lielping  hand, 
We  love  the  South,  you  know. 

Hurrah!  hurrah!  for  the  sunny  South,  so  dear; 

Three  cheers  for   the   homespun   dress   the 
Southern  ladies  wear.'" 

"  Surely,  I  know  those  beautiful  sentiments  and 
bad  poetry  well  enough,  but  I  Jiever  thought  of 
applying  them  to  my  own  sister.  I  always  knew 
you  were  a  dear,  brave  little  girl.     Good-night, 


Home  Again  49 

Mary  Lou,  Call  me  early,  if  I  don't  come  down 
first,  for  I  want  to  look  about  the  plantation  in  the 
morning." 

Again  the  hall  echoed  with  footfalls,  as  Colonel 
Grayson  showed  his  son  to  his  room.  "  I  hope," 
remarked  the  Colonel  with  a  tone  of  apology, 
"that  your  life  in  the  field  has  made  you  a  good 
sleeper  on  a  poor  bed.  We  had  military  neigh- 
bors many  times  during  your  absence,  and  each 
succeeding  lot  seemed  most  in  need  of  bedding. 
They  have  left  us  very  little." 

"Oh,  I  can  make  that  bed  do  nicely,"  said 
Howard.  "  That 's  positive  luxury  by  the  side  of 
anything  I  've  seen  since  I  last  slept  in  this  room. 
I  am  so  happy  at  being  here  that  I  could  sleep 
like  anything  on  this  bare  floor.  Good-night, 
Father." 

"Good-night,  my  son;  and  may  the  God  who 
has  bestowed  on  us  for  so  many  years  the  incom- 
parable blessing  of  a  happy,  contented  home  be 
with  you." 

"Please  call  me  early.  Father;  I  want  to  look 
about  the  place.  I  reckon  there  is  a  plenty  of 
repairing  to  be  done,  and  I  want  to  get  at  it  right 
early  —  don't  want  to  have  time  to  begin  to 
dread  it." 

"  You  will  find  things  somewhat  changed,  and 
I  hope  you  will  not  be  too  much  disappointed. 
New  conditions  everywhere.  You  must  adjust 
yourself  to  them  as  patiently  as  possible.  Above 
all,  we  must  not  allow  these  material  changes  to 
interfere  with  our  home  life — -that  must  be 
resumed  with  all  its  common  interest  and  perfect 
contentment.     Already  I  feel  the  return  of  that 


50  In  the  Wake  of  War 

magic  spell  that  hovers  about  a  home  filled  with 
reciprocal  love  and  confidence." 

"  Oh,  I  'm  hereto  make  the  best  of  everything. 
The  boys  talked  about  that  all  the  way  home. 
Things  are  mighty  tough,  I  reckon;  but  we  shall  be 
happy  again,  right  here.     I'm  happy,  already." 

"Yes,  I  believe  it;  and  your  happiness  is 
infectious.  Good-night,  again,  Howard ;  may 
you  have  refreshing  sleep." 

"Good-night,  Father.     I'll  sleep  like  a  boy." 


The  Abomination  of  Desolation 

THE  sun  stood  well  above  the  eastern  hills 
when  Howard  Grayson  came  down  from  his 
room.  He  gave  Mary  Lou  a  reproving  look  as 
he  kissed  her  good-morning. 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  afraid  of  you,  you  big  soldier 
brother,"  she  said,  laughingly.  "You  needed 
sleep  and  I  could  not  think  to  call  you.  Wait 
right  here  on  the  porch  a  few  moments  and  I  will 
call  you  to  a  nice  breakfast.  I  would  love  so 
deai'ly  to  give  you  some  waffles,  but  the  irons  are 
gone.  Where?  Oh,  the  Yankee  soldiers  bor- 
rowed them.  Don't  go  off  the  porch,  for  if  once 
you  begin  to  look  about,  there  's  no  place  to  stop. 
There  come  father  and  Pleas."  And  off  she 
ran  down  the  hall  to  the  kitchen. 

"  I  hope  you  feel  invigorated  with  your  first 
night's  rest  at  home,"  said  the  Colonel,  as  he 
drew  near  the  porch  where  Howard  was  stationed 
to  await  the  call  for  breakfast. 

"First  class!  Either  the  bed  you  were  so 
anxious  about,  or  the  old  familiar  atmosphere,  or, 
more  likely,  the  content  of  home,  made  me  sleep 
like  a  four-year-old.  I  can  hardly  wait  for  break- 
fast before  going  out  to  see  where  the  work  of 
rebuilding  shall  begin.  You  seem  to  have  a  fine 
crop  of  dog-fennel  about  the  house." 

"  Yes,  the  contrary  stuff  has  evidently  mistaken 
my  efforts  at  extermination  for  honest  cultivation; 
two  stalks  appear  for  each  one  I  cut  down. ' ' 


52  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  I  see  that  many  of  our  best  lawn  trees  are 
cut  down.     Was  that  the  work  of  the  soldiers?" 

"Yes,  Yankee  soldiers.  I  believe  they  would 
have  ruined  the  lawn  completely,  as  they  did  the 
rest  of  the  place,  if  I  had  not  appealed  to  General 
Thomas  for  defence  against  wanton  vandalism. 
He  gave  us  all  the  protection  we  could  ask  in 
times  of  war,  and  I  feel  that  we  owe  that  great 
and  good  man  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  I  hope 
you  will  some  day  have  an  opportunity  to  ac- 
knowledge." 

Mary  Lou  soon  appeared,  with  cheeks  red  from 
the  kitchen  jBLre,  and  announced:  "  Breakfast  is 
served." 

While  walking  down  the  spacious  hall,  Howard 
again  noticed  the  unnaturalness  of  its  appearance 
and  the  echo  awakened  by  every  footfall.  Tm*n- 
ing  to  his  sister  he  asked  :  ' '  What  is  there  so 
strange  about  the  house  ?  This  hall  does  not  look 
as  it  used  to." 

' '  There  is  nothing  new  to  me  here.  Oh,  it 
is  the  carpets  and  rugs.  The  soldiers  said  they 
needed  them  for  the  colonel's  tent  and  that  they 
had  orders  to  take  them.  We  never  argued  with 
those  soldiers.  Father  offered  the  colonel  a  room 
in  the  house,  which  his  excellency  declined,  say- 
ing he  thought  his  men  could  make  him  more 
comfortable  where  he  was.  Our  rugs  contributed 
to  that  comfort." 

" Did  you  save  anything  from  such  fellows?" 
asked  Howard.  "I  looked  for  some  of  my 
clothes,  but  could  find  none.  I  'm  tired  of  this 
tattered  uniform  for  everyday  wear — I  want  to 
keep  it  for  state  occasions. ' ' 


The  Abomination  of  Desolation  ^ 

"Too  bad,  Brother,  but  the  soldiers  carried  off 
all  that  was  any  good;  the  rest  I  gave  to  the 
negroes  to  keep  them  comfortable.  We  could 
buy  them  nothing,  you  know.  Our  silver  and 
jewelry  have  been  saved,  through  the  fidelity  of 
Uncle  Phil,"  she  continued.  "  I  do  not  know 
where  he  has  them,  but  you  know  Uncle  Phil 
can  be  relied  upon  to  fetch  them  out  whenever 
we  want." 

' '  I  should  like  to  run  back  to  his  cabin  and 
embrace  Uncle  Phil  and  Aunt  Manda  right  now. 
What  faithful  creatures  they  have  been. " 

Breakfast  was  a  very  meagre  affair,  judged  by 
the  old-time  standard  at  Elmington.  In  spite  of 
all  the  devastation  and  barbarism  of  war  the  earth 
still  brought  forth,  and  fresh  strawberries  made  a 
very  enticing  relish  for  the  corn  bread  and  turnip- 
greens  that  followed.  The  conversation  turned 
upon  the  subject  of  rebuilding,  although  Howard 
did  not  then  know  the  extent  of  his  task;  not  once 
was  any  reference  made  to  the  thin  meal. 

"The  gods  suffer,  and  are  silent." 

' '  You  can  not  know  how  relieved  I  am  to  have 
this  trouble  over  —  decided  — and  to  be  back 
home  again,"  said  Howard.  "I  have  been  think- 
ing over  our  conversation  of  last  night,  and  while 
I  know  everything  will  be  different  from  what  we 
are  used  to,  different  from  what  we  hoped  for  and 
from  what  I  expected ;  yet  we  can  suit  ourselves 
to  the  new  conditions,  we  can  adjust  ourselves  to 
the  new  civilization,  and  again  be  happy." 

"I  can  part  with  the  old  civilization  more  easily 
than  you;  not  because  I  did  not  love  it,  but  be- 
cause for  a  long  time  I  have  foreseen  its  probable 


54  In  the  Wake  of  War 

destruction.  The  overthrow  of  slavery  takes  a 
load  from  my  conscience,  though  I  can  not  help 
studying  about  what  will  become  of  the  poor  igno- 
rant black  under  the  burden  of  his  newly  acquired 
liberty.  '  The  rights  of  citizenship '  means  more 
than  liberty  before  the  law;  it  has  a  practical  side 
that  means  meat  and  bread  for  the  citizen  and 
those  dependent  upon  him.  There  are  plenty  of 
people  ready  to  instruct  the  freedman  in  his  politi- 
cal rights,   but  who  will  feed  him?" 

"He  can  work  as  he  always  has  done,  only  he 
will  draw  pay  and  buy  his  necessities,"  answered 
Howard,  hopefully. 

"Well,  we  shall  see,"  said  the  Colonel,  as 
they  left  the  house  to  look  about  the  plantation. 

Father  and  son  walked  do^vn  through  the  house- 
lot  to  the  blue-grass  pastures.  On  the  way  they 
passed  the  orchard,  that  covered  more  than  ten 
acres  of  ground,  in  which  not  a  dozen  trees  were 
standing.  Apple,  peach,  and  cherry  trees  all 
had  fallen  before  the  sweep  of  vandal  hands.  The 
horse  barn,  once  the  pride  of  the  plantation,  was 
a  wreck.  Only  its  frame,  gaunt  as  a  skeleton, 
stood  in  its  ruin  to  speak  of  departed  magniiicence. 
No  doors  swung  upon  the  rusted  hinges,  no  strip 
of  siding  remained.  Everything  combustible  that 
could  be  removed  with  little  effort  had  gone  to 
feed  camp-fires. 

"Why  did  they  not  leave  the  stable  to  protect 
their  stock?"  asked  Howard. 

"I  can  not  answer  you,  my  son.  They  seemed 
only  to  think  of  themselves  and  the  easiest  way 
of  keeping  warm.  They  evidently  did  not  love  a 
horse  as  Tennesseans  do." 


The  Abomination  of  Desolation  55_ 

The  turf  of  the  blue-grass  pastures,  the  joy  of 
every  plantation  in  Tennessee,  was  torn  and  fur- 
rowed, and  great  patches  of  weeds  marked  the 
locations  of  innumerable  fires. 

' '  These  fields  were  occupied  three  different 
times  as  a  camp  by  Federal  soldiers.  The  second 
set  was  much  more  wasteful  than  the  first,  and  the 
last  seemed  bent  on  utter  destruction.  This 
pasturage  is  ruined  and  can  not  be  reclaimed 
in  ten  years." 

"We  shall  have  to  crop  it  to  get  shur  of  these 
weeds.  I  reckon  the  grass  will  set  again,"  said 
Howard,  determined  to  be  hopeful  even  in  the 
face  of  complete  destruction. 

Every  gate  was  gone,  great  rents  in  the  stone 
walls  that  had  stood  for  nearly  a  century  showed 
that  the  enemy  had  been  malicious.  The  site  of 
the  once  great  fodder-barn  was  marked  by  a  swamp 
of  foul  stuff  of  monstrous  growth. 

The  rich  bottom  fields  on  which  had  grown 
corn  and  cotton  each  year  since  the  place  was  first 
cleared  up,  now  showed  a  crop  of  willow  sprouts 
shoulder-high. 

On  every  turn  the  young  soldier  uttered  a  fresh 
exclamation  of  surprise  and  horror  as  a  new 
atrocity  met  his  sight.  Everything  was  in  ruin  - — 
rank,  helpless,  disheartening  ruin.  A  less  hopeful 
spirit  would  have  dropped  before  the  almost  im- 
possible task  of  rebuilding;  but  each  item  of  waste 
seemed  to  stimulate  his  determination,  and  as 
they  turned  homeward  he  said:  "We  shall  have 
all  these  things  to  rights  again,  I  '11  make  a  start 
this  afternoon  on  the  garden  wall.  We  must 
raise  our  own  vegetables." 


56  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"  Why  spend  time  at  present  on  the  garden 
wall  ?  There  is  nothing  to  trespass.  I  do  not 
know  of  a  hoof  of  sheep,  cattle  or  swine  in  the 
whole  neighborhood,"  said  his  father. 

"That's  true.  Well,  I'll  plant  some  more  gar- 
den, then." 

"  But  my  son,  we  have  no  seed  —  except  some 
corn." 

"Then  I'll  plant  corn,  for  lam  bound  to  begin 
work  to-day,  sure.  I  reckon  we  shall  have  no 
trouble  in  hiring  negroes." 

"  With  the  consent  only  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau,  But  you  forget  that  we  have  little  money 
with  which  to  pay  help. ' ' 

"Then  we  will  let  them  make  a  crop  for  a 
share,"  cried  the  son,  full,  as  he  thought,  of 
worthy  expedients. 

"I  do  not  like  to  discourage  you,  Howard,  but 
there  is  still  an  obstacle  in  the  way.  The  negroes 
will  need  to  have  their  living  advanced,  either  in 
money  or  provisions,  until  the  crop  is  made.  We 
are  poor  in  both  of  these  indispensables." 

"Then  I '11  plant  corn  and  rebuild  the  stone 
wall  by  myself.  The  work  will  go  slowly,  but 
Elmington  shall  be  rebuilt,  if  I  have  to  do  every 
lick  myself." 

They  turned  to  go  back  to  the  house,  Howard 
setting  the  course  so  that  they  should  pass  the 
family  shrine,  where  all  that  was  mortal  of  his 
mother  was  laid  away.  The  massive  stone  and 
mortar  wall  that  surrounded  this  sacred  acre  had 
been  torn  open,  and  the  plain  granite  shaft  had 
been  used,  day  after  day,  as  a  target  for  unseemly 
rifle  practice.     The  emblem  of  enduring  love  was 


The  Abomination  of  Desolation  57 

nicked   and    defaced   by   a    hundred    well-aimed 
bullets.     The  young  soldier  hung  his  head. 

"  Is  nothing  sacred  in  war  ?  "  he  said,  at  last. 
''No,  Father,  war  is  nothing  in  all  the  world  but 
systematic  rowdyism.     I  'm  sick  of  it." 


IV 

Rebuilding  Begins 

IS  there  such  a  thing  in  the  house  as  a  lead 
pencil,  Mary  Lou?"  asked  Howard  after  he 
came  back  from  an  hour's  inspection  of  the  plan- 
tation and  had  seated  himself  in  the  kitchen. 

"  Don't  embarrass  me  by  calling  for  such  lux- 
uries," she  answered,  naively. 

' '  You  nmst  forgive  me,  but  I  've  been  spoiled 
by  being  in  touch  with  a  most  bountiful  commis- 
sary. AH  I  have  had  to  do  was  to  call  for  what- 
ever I  needed  or  wanted,  and  then  not  get  it. 
You  ought  to  have  seen  our  stores  toward  the  last; 
there  was  not  a  strip  of  side-meat  as  big  as  one  of 
your  little  hands,  nor  meal  enough  to  make  a 
corn  dodger.  But  seriously,  I  must  do  some  writ- 
ing, if  possible." 

"We  have  some  elderberry  ink  and  quill  pens, 
if  you  can  make  them  do.  There  is  no  paper  in 
the  house  except  some  pages  from  old  blank- 
books  such  as  we  have  been  using  for  letter- 
writing." 

"  That  will  do  nicely,  only  I  prefer  the  blank- 
book,  if  you  can  spare  me  one  from  your  volumi- 
nous correspondence. " 

"You  must  not  speak  lightly  of  my  letter- 
writing,  for  I  have  a  pleasant  surprise  for  you  in 
two  letters  that  I  have  received  since  my  last  to 
you.  Oh,  you  may  look  curious,  but  I  shall  pun- 
ish you  by  not  showing  them  now,  nor  even  tell- 

58 


REBUILDING  Begins  59. 

ing  the  name  of  my  correspondent.  Here  is  an 
old  diary  for  the  year  1859,  with  some  of  your 
own  entries  in  it.  Listen:  '  January  1st.  Went 
calling  with  Manning.     Had  a  great  time.     Went 

to  a  New  Year's  party  in  the  evening  at .'  " 

She  stopped  suddenly,  for  she  saw  that  her  teas- 
ing had  brought  unexpected  pain,  and  laying  her 
hand  on  his  shoulder,  she  said:  "Forgive  me. 
Brother,  I  did  not  think  to  hurt  your  feelings." 

"That's  nothing.  Little  Sister.  I  reckon  I 
showed  more  than  I  feel.  But  you  are  bound  to 
know  sooner  or  later,  that  though  I  have  passed 
through  plenty  of  scraps  without  a  scratch,  this 
cruel  business  has  left  a  wound,  and  without 
thought  you  brushed  it.  When  it  suits  your  fancy 
I'll  listen  to  your  surprise;  for  the  present,  I'll 
take  the  diary,  if  you  are  willing,  but  it  won't 
serve  my  purpose.  I  want  to  make  some  memo- 
randa for  permanent  use,  and  then  have  the  rest 
of  the  book  for  a  kind  of  journal.  The  remnant 
of  that  old  ledger  will  answer." 

Without  further  ado,  Howard  Grayson  seated 
himself  before  the  table  to  make  the  first  business 
programme  of  his  life. 

The  product  of  an  hour's  deliberation  and  self- 
communion  was  a  seriatim  schedule  of  what  he 
proposed  to  do  on  the  plantation.  He  was  des- 
perately earnest  and  wanted  to  be  practical. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  ten  items  disclosed  only 
one  state  of  temper,  resignation;  only  one  pur- 
pose, to  rebuild  the  home. 

At  this  juncture  Colonel  Grayson  entered  the 
room,  and  Howard  with  the  confidence  of  child- 
hood submitted  to  him  the  written  page. 


60  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"That  does  you  credit,  my  son,"  he  said,  after 
reading  it  over  caref  all3\  ' '  If  only  the  politicians 
leave  us  alone  w^e  shall  have  no  trouble  in  carry- 
ing your  programme  into  effect.  But  do  not 
think  too  intently  on  temporal  rebuilding.  We 
may  work  like  our  negroes  used  to  work,  but  we 
must  not  neglect  those  little  matters  of  heart  that 
made  the  civilization  of  the  old  South  the  best  and 
most  refined  that  the  world  has  ever  seen.  Along 
with  our  labors  let  us  give  time  and  thought  and 
feeling  to  rebuilding  the  home  with  its  countless 
loves  and  confidences.  Let  us  keep  that  first  in 
mind,  always  present  in  deed,  and  our  daily  toil 
will  ennoble  us." 

"I  used  to  think  that  work,  common  drudgery 
in  sweat  and  dirt,  disgraceful,  or  undignified  at 
least;  but  when  I  read  that  programme  the  pros- 
pect of  making  Elmington  again  beautiful  inspires 
me,  and  I  want  to  get  at  it  directly.  I  don't  care 
for  a  little  perspiration,  't  will  do  me  good.  Can 
you  get  me  the  seed  corn  ?  "  And  he  put  away 
the  book  containing  a  schedule  of  his  good  inten- 
tions, to  begin  without  further  preliminary  the  bat- 
tle of  life  as  a  working  man. 

His  father  brought  the  seed,  and  hoe  in  hand, 
Howard  started  out  to  plant;  but  when  they  came 
to  the  garden  the  ground  was  not  plowed,  and  his 
father  had  to  tell  him  that  there  was  not  a  harness 
nor  a  piece  of  plow  gear  on  the  plantation.  So 
item  number  one  was  passed  temporarily,  and,  as 
the  young  man's  determination  burned  too  fiercely 
to  brook  delay,  he  made  straight  for  the  rent  in 
the  garden  wall. 

The  blocks  of  stratified  limestone  of  which  this 


Rebuilding  Begins  6\_ 

fence  was  built  were  wondrous  heavy,  and  the 
primitive  hand-spike  cut  from  a  hickory  sapling 
did  weak  and  springy  service.  Hands  browned 
by  the  sun  and  hardened  by  the  bridle  rein  soon 
bore  marks  of  unusual  toil.  Muscles  developed 
in  field  sports  and  gentlemanly  exercises  responded 
with  a  vigorous  spurt  to  the  dictates  of  a  better 
trained  will,  but  were  unable  to  furnish  sustained 
force.  The  sun  boiled  down,  was  reflected  back, 
and  enshrouded  the  laborer  with  quivering,  stifling 
heat. 

But  for  all  that  he  toiled  on,  deaf  to  the 
admonition  of  his  father,  who  gave  much  counsel 
to  the  work  and  such  help  as  his  physical  infi.rmi- 
ties  allowed.  In  the  middle  of  the  forenoon 
Mary  Lou  came  out  with  a  bucket  of  water  and  a 
dish  of  fresh  strawberries.  Only  then  did  the 
ardor  of  the  work  abate,  and  Howard  seated  him- 
self on  the  rebuilt  portion  for  rest  and  refreshment. 

' '  My  poor,  dear  brother, ' '  exclaimed  Mary 
Lou,  "your  hands  are  all  torn  and  bleeding,  and 
look  at  that  great  blister!  Do  leave  this  old 
fence  alone,  and  let  some  negro  do  it.  This  is  no 
work  for  you.  You  would  not  think  of  asking 
Pleas  to  do  it.  Let  it  go,  for  nothing  will  come 
through;  besides,  you  have  not  been  back  to  see 
Uncle  Phil  and  Aunt  Manda  yet." 

With  a  woman's  instinct  she  had  read  the 
newly  developed  material  spirit  in  her  brother, 
although  she  had  not  been  intrusted  with  the 
secret  of  his  written  resolutions.  To  argue  the 
question  was  to  fan  the  fire  of  his  determination; 
but  his  love  for  the  faithful  old  mammy  of  his 
babyhood,   and  the  suggestion  that   he  had  neg- 


62  In  the  Wake  of  War 

lected  her  made  an  unanswerable  appeal.  He 
struggled  a  moment  with  his  business  programme, 
and  then  said:  "Sure  enough,  I  ought  to  have 
gone  to  see  them  before  I  ate  breakfast.  That 
was  my  first  duty  after  greeting  you  and  father. 
After  a  little  we  '11  all  walk  back  to  the  cabin  and 
surprise  them,  for  they  don't  know  yet  that  I  am 
home." 

But  they  were  scarcely  seated  when  a  horseman 
came  round  a  bend  in  the  pike,  and  Howard 
cried:  "Oh,  there  comes  Major  Lewis,  and  on 
Manning's  old  horse.  Isn't  that  fine  stock  for  a 
Middle  Tennessee  gentleman  to  ride  ?  I  would 
be  glad  to  know  where  Manning  is." 

Before  the  Major  took  Howard's  outstretched 
hand,  he  spoke  to  Mary  Lou  and  raised  his  broad- 
brimmed  hat  in  old-time  courtesy.  Then,  alight- 
ing from  his  saddle,  he  returned  the  hearty  greet- 
ing of  young  Grayson  with  all  the  warmth  of  his 
genial  nature. 

He  presented  a  strange  figure  in  his  homespun 
suit.  The  coat  was  cut  doul^le-breasted,  the  skirts 
reaching  to  the  baggy  knees  of  his  trousers,  and 
conforming  to  his  life  cu&tom,  only  the  lower 
button  did  service.  The  lapels  flared  back  as  if 
ashamed  to  keep  company  with  his  coarse  cotton 
shirt-front. 

In  better  days  he  had  been  of  punctilious  habit 
in  dress,  never  extravagant  or  conspicuous,  but, 
after  his  own  peculiar  taste  in  cut  and  texture, 
uniformly  well  clothed.  Now  all  was  changed, 
yet  there  was  in  his  bearing  no  suggestion  of 
apology  for  this  uncouth  garb.  His  lean,  wiry 
form    stood  erect,   his  face  and  manner  bespoke 


Rebuilding  Begins  63^ 

that  utter  oblivion  to  material  surroundings  that 
marks  the  gentleman  of  the  old  school. 

If  his  presence  spoke  aught,  it  said:  "These 
clothes  comply  with  legal  and  moral  requirements, 
they  were  paid  for  with  the  sweat  and  blood  of 
my  dear  wife,  now  grown  old  in  my  companion- 
ship, and  I  am  not  ashamed  of  them." 

Looking  about  with  marked  •  deliberation,  first 
at  each  member  of  the  family  and  then  on  the 
spread  of  surrounding  desolation,  he  said:  "We 
just  had  to  come  over  and  witness  the  reunion  of 
the  Grayson  family,  and  I'm  not  disappointed — • 
you  all  look  happy.  Surely  this  is  a  beautiful 
picture,  set  in  a  frame  of  sach  complete  destruc- 
tion. Looks  like  I  discover  another  rose  in  Miss 
Mary  Lou's  cheek.  The  sun  ?  No,  it 's  the  brother! 
Mrs.  Lewis  sends  her  compliments,  but  could 
not  come;  the  walk  was  too  long  and  there 
was  no  possible  contrivance  by-  which  she  could 
ride.  Manning  and  I  came  'ride  and  tie,'  and 
it  was  my  ride  last.  I  reckon  he  '11  get  in  di- 
rectly. The  Captain  is  looking  remarkably  well, 
Rodeny. " 

"I  am  in  perfect  health,  Major  Lewis,  and 
many  thanks  are  due  Manning  for  that,"  said 
Howard,  "He  exposed  himself  times  enough  to 
save  me,  always  before  I  knew  it.  And  let  me 
tell  you  right  now,  for  he  never  would  speak  of  it, 
my  promotion  before  him  was  an  accident  —  a 
surprise  to  both  of  us.  I  did  not  deserve  it  above 
him,  which  our  superiors  afterward  saw  and  tried 
to  correct  by  offering  him  a  company  on  two  occa- 
sions, but  he  wanted  to  stay  with  me  —  nominally 
my  inferior  in  rank." 


64  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  Manning  has  not  mentioned  it  to  me,  but  there 
could  be  no  rivah-y  between  the  Graysons  and  the 
Lewises,"  said  the  Major. 

"And  so  history  repeats  itself,"  said  Colonel 
Grayson.  "It  was  so  with  Major  Lewis  and  me 
in  the  Mexican  war.  I  received  the  promotion  he 
deserved.  Your  statement,  Howard,  and  Man- 
ning's silence,  do  equal  credit  to  you  both." 

"But  the  question  of  our  respective  promotions 
away  back  yonder  has  been  one  of  dispute  be- 
tween us  so  long  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to 
renew  it  now,"  said  the  Major.  "The  most  impor- 
tant subject,  now  that  our  families  are  reunited,  is 
that  of  meat  and  bread  —  a  mighty  mean  problem 
for  gentlemen  to  be  studying  at.  Makes  me  feel 
like  a  Yankee  already.  I  just  naturally  hate  it, 
but  what 's  to  be  done  ?  Have  any  of  your  nig- 
gers got  back  ? " 

"None,"  answered  Colonel  Grayson,  "and  if 
they  had,  I  don 't  reckon  we  could  work  them 
without  the  consent  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau." 

"And  that  charitable  institution  has  too  many 
religious  men  deviling  with  its  management  to  be 
entirely  above  my  suspicion,"  put  in  the  Major. 
"  I  don  't  want  a  thing  to  do  with  those  preachers. 
Every  man  I  know  of,  or  have  heard  spoken  of  in 
connection  with  it,  is  a  Reverend.  On  the  out- 
side it  is  Rev.  So-and-so;  and  1  understand  that 
between  themselves  it  is  Brother  So-and-so,  and 
some  of  them  even  '  Brother '  the  nigger. ' ' 

< '  They  may  intend  to  do  a  good  work,  and  I 
hope  they  will.  In  any  event  they  take  a  great 
burden  from  us,  for  you  know  that  freeing  the 
negro  without  preparation  for  his  liberty  always 


Rebuilding  Begins  65 

has  been  a  serious  business  with  me.  Perhaps 
they  will  undertake,  and  eventually  accomplish, 
this  very  work,  although  I  do  not  see  how  they 
can  do  it.  We  shall  not  be  held  responsible  for 
it,   anyway,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

' '  They  can't  do  it,  and  are  making  a  sham  at 
trying.  They  only  expect  to  control  the  nigger 
so  as  to  use  him  after  he  becomes  a  citizen.  Hear 
my  prophecy:  The  nigger  will  be  a  voter  in  less 
than  five  years,  and  who  knows  but  he  will  be 
sitting  on  jnries  in  the  County  Court,  or  even  in 
the  Legislatm-e.  This  is  not  to  be  a  white  man's 
country  any  more."  Some  people  had  called  the 
Major  a  pessimist;  others  had  long  regarded  him 
a  prophet. 

"Most  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  managers  are 
very  impractical  and  wild  in  their  theories,  as  I 
have  learned  from  my  half-brother,  Felix  Gray- 
son. They  expect  to  educate  the  negro  in  a  shoi't 
time  and  make  him  independent  in  spirit.  Of 
course  Felix  understands  the  black  man  well 
enough  to  know  better  than  that.  He  ridicules 
his  own  work.  And,  by  the  way,  he  has  visited 
us  several  times  lately,  has  been  quite  confiden- 
tial and  shown  a  very  friendly  spirit.  He  has 
offered  to  buy  Elmington,  or  to  lend  me  money 
on  it." 

"The  same  thing  in  the  end.  Do  you  know, 
Rodeny,  I  Ve  been  studying  over  this  matter  of 
going  into  debt  for  the  putting  of  Fairfax  to 
rights,  and  I  'm  against  it.  We  shall  patch  up 
a  little  here  and  there,  and  eventually,  some 
sweet  day,  the  plantation  will  be  in  good  shape 
again.      I  'm  in  no  great  hurry  to  fix  up.     Man- 

5 


66  In  the  Wake  of  War 

ning  and  I  can't  work  much  land,  anyway;  and 
then  I  need  something  to  cuss  about.  Every 
time  I  see  a  piece  of  waste  I  propose  to  stop  then 
and  there  and  bless  those  damned  invading 
Yankee  scoundrels.  Excuse  my  language,  Miss 
Mary  Lou,  it  was  a  slip  of  the  tongue,  I  assure 
you." 

"The  sentiment  was  line,  Major  Lewis;  the 
language  good  for  a  man,"  she  answered. 

"I  don't  reckon  the  Federal  soldiers  did  any 
worse  than  we  would  have  done,  if  we  had  had 
the  chance,"   said  Howard. 

"Possibly  not,  Captain;  but  my  ox  would  not 
have  been  gored  in  that  event.  You  see  the 
question  is,    '  Whose  ox  V  " 

"Never  mind  the  ox;  there  comes  my  com- 
rade, the  finest  fellow  and  the  best  soldier  that 
lives,"  cried  Howard,  waving  his  old  cap  in  wel- 
come as  Manning  Lewis  came  in  sight  a  hundred 
yards  down  the  pike. 

"If  Mrs.  Lewis  were  only  here,  how  much  it 
would  seom  like  old  times,"  said  Colonel  Gray- 
son. And  they  all  sat  down  on  the  lawn  to  plan 
together  for  the  future;  not.  entirely  for  the  needs 
that  confronted  them,  but  because  this  occupation 
took  their  minds  from  contrasting  the  present 
with  tlieir  former  condition. 


V 

The  New  Man 

THE  Federal  soldier  who  had  followed  the  beck 
of  his  country,  had  left  family  and  comfort- 
able fireside,  had  endured  the  merciless  horrors  of 
war,  had  shed  his  blood  and  carried  scars,  wounds, 
broken  health  or  shattered  constitution  —  all  with- 
out complaint  —  returned  to  his  home  after  the 
insurrection  was  crushed  and  peace  was  restored, 
to  resume  the  old  ties  of  family  and  civilianship. 
He  believed  that  his  late  foe  never  had  been  his 
personal  enemy,  that  they  had  entertained  differ- 
ences of  opinion  and  each  had  sought  to  maintain 
his  position,  but  now  they  were  again,  and  more 
securely  than  ever  before,  brothers  and  fellow- 
citizens. 

The  Southern  soldier,  in  his  turn,  went  back  to 
his  devastated  home  and  broken  home-circle, 
accepting  with  philosophic  resignation  the  issues 
of  the  conflict,  anxious  to  take  up  and  straighten 
out  the  tangled  thread  of  citizenship. 

This  splendid  condition  followed  by  natural 
sequence  the  magnanimous  terms  of  surrender 
—  terms  applauded  by  the  victor,  appreciated  by 
the  vanquished.  It  promised  to  realize  the  hope 
of  the  war  administration  as  expressed  by  Mr. 
Lincoln  in  every  public  utterance  in  which  he 
made  allusion  to  the  subject.  The  return  of  peace 
and  good-will  was  almost  accomplished.  Those 
who  had  fought  wanted  peace.     They  expected  it. 


68  In  the  Wake  of  War 

But  strange  to  relate,  yet  natural  as  the  succes- 
sion of  seasons,  all  this  line  sentiment  was  brushed 
rudely  aside  by  an  unexpected  appearance.  A 
new  type  of  man  sprang  suddenly  into  life,  or  into 
prominence,  in  the  South,  ready-made  to  take  and 
fill  certain  responsibilities.  This  man  had  not  had 
his  day.  So  long  as  a  gun  was  pointed  at  a  blue- 
coat,  he  had  remained  in  seclusion.  He  only 
burst  the  eclipse  and  came  forth  from  his  skulking 
when  the  sword  was  returned  to  its  peaceful  scab- 
bard. The  uncertainties  of  war  had  not  offered 
him  a  fit  chance  to  show  his  peculiar  virtue,  for  it 
was  of  a  kind  that  shone  not  in  the  heat  of  con- 
flict. The  blaze  of  artillery,  the  whistle  of  bullets, 
the  shriek  of  shells  —  in  fact,  all  the  useless  ex- 
citement and  hurly-burly  of  battle  —  would  have 
dimmed  the  splendid  effulgence  of  his  valor.  His 
special  bravery  could  not  be  allowed  nov.^  to  burn 
itself  into  invisible  vapor,  after  having  smouldered 
so  long  in  healthy  retii'ement.  This  tardy  patriot 
must  have  his  day.     He  demanded  it. 

Besides,  the  men  who  had  borne  the  burden  of 
warfare  were  footsore.  With  the  advent  of  peace 
their  employment  was  gone,  and  new  blood  was 
needed  to  bring  affairs  to  a  suitable  ending. 

Then  there  arose  in  certain  quarters  the  feeling 
that  the  break  from  war  to  peace  would  be  too  ab- 
rupt for  the  good  of  the  country,  that  a  season  of 
half  and  half  was  desirable. 

Accordingly,  the  business  of  Reconstruction,  as 
a  local  or  State  measure,  was  brought  into  being 
out  of  nothing;  and  so  shaped  by  those  who  begat 
it,  that  it  should  tally  with  that  special  genius 
which  was  the  sole  and  singular  property  of  this 


The  New  Man  69 

New  Man.  His  abilities  matched  by  a  becoming 
undertaking,  there  was  developed  in  his  breast  a 
restless  love  of  united  Country,  and  a  consuming 
hate  of  the  very  memory  of  insurrection  or  in- 
subordination that  approached  the  farthest  bordor 
of  mania.  He  swarmed  about  the  capitols  of  the 
several  Southern  States,  bulging  such  frothy 
patriotism  a  child  could  have  seen  that  his  loyal 
spirits   were   in  the  first  stage    of   fermentation. 

This  slave  of  public  weal  needed  only  an  oppor- 
tunity to  show  his  newly  acquired  mettle,  now 
that  danger  was  past,  and  his  persistent  and 
shameless  clamor  placed  him  in  control  of  nearly 
every  legislative  body  in  the  South.  True,  his 
record  as  camp-follower,  guerrilla,  stay-at-home, 
or  "  I-told-you-so, "  might  have  stood  against  him 
in  any  enterprise,  except  Reconstruction.  The 
disqualifications  for  this  undertaking  are  not  found 
in  the  catalogue  of  felonies  and  misdemeanors. 

And  now  that  the  miracle  of  Creation  was 
accomplished,  and  the  propagation  of  patriotism 
confronted  this  new  species,  it  was  perfectly  nat- 
ural for  the  members  to  divide  themselves  into 
proper  grades  and  classes.  This  came  about  by 
the  operation  of  the  desired  and  long  sought 
"  Merit  System. "  Those  most  gifted  by  nature 
for  self-sacrifice,  the  crying  virtue  of  the  time, 
were  pushed  rapidly  to  the  front,  each  by  his  own 
exertions,  to  become  leaders  and  organizers. 

Those  in  whom  this  stale  leaven  of  patriotism 
had  not  made  such  violent  and  frothy  rising,  as- 
sumed their  proper  places  without  murmuring  in 
the  middle  and  rear  ranks.  They  wanted  only  to 
be  useful,  and  they  could  see,  out  of  their  abun- 


70  In  the  Wake  of  War. 

dant  wisdom,  that  it  is  a  weak  enterprise  that  pre- 
sents all  its  forces  in  the  front  rank.  From  this 
subaltern  class  arose  sheriffs,  constables,  officers 
of  courts,  spies,  and  doers  of  dirty  work  on  short 
notice. 

And  over  and  above  all,  the  ruling  hand  and 
spirit  —  yea  more,  the  very  political  godfather  in 
Tennessee  of  this  New  Man,  with  all  his  allied 
and  collateral  following,  was  Kellogg  G.  Simon, 
Governor.  Not  only  was  his  approval  of  all  dis- 
tressing legislation  necessary,  but  his  peculiar 
genius  was  almost  constantly  invoked  to  suggest 
plans  by  which  the  limit  of  torment  could  be 
reached.  In  order  to  keep  enactments  abreast  of 
his  inventive  virulence,  the  Legislature  was  almost 
constantly  in  session;  and,  judged  by  the  volume 
of  business  transacted,  it  was  either  sorely  over- 
worked or  extremely  capable  and  dextrous.  And 
as  each  parcel  of  folly  or  malice  received  its  sol- 
emn and  portentous  decree,  in  the  singular  energy 
and  unflagging  acrimony  of  the  Governor  lay  its 
suitable  execution. 

This  strange  adaptation  of  the  man  to  condi- 
tions and  conditions  to  the  man  was  little  short  of 
foreordination,  and  he  wielded  his  power  with 
the  fanatical  assurance  of  Divine  Right. 

The  Legislature  for  the  great  Volunteer  State 
was  in  session  in  Nashville  as  this  history  begins. 
It  was  composed  largely  of  the  first  crop  of  these 
creatures;  malignant,  bold,  aggressive,  blatant  — 
for  the  enemy  had  laid  aside  his  arms.  Every 
act  that  their  stupidity  could  invent  tending  to  the 
spiteful  humiliation  of  the  Southern  soldier,  was 
placed  upon  the  statute  books  without  the  show 


The  New  Man  _7]_ 

of  sincerity  that  comes  with  reasonable  delibera- 
tion. 

"Is  it  irritating,  virulent,  vicious  ? ' '  seems  to 
have  been  their  only  question.  In  their  mad 
haste  to  exasperate  they  overlooked  every  other 
consideration,  even  the  commonest  rules  of  Eng- 
lish grammar. 

Every  law  that  could  operate  as  an  obstacle  to 
the  peaceful  return  of  the  vanquished  to  the  rights 
and  privileges  of  citizenship,  found  ready  passage. 
Not  only  was  the  ballot  box  surrounded  by  con- 
scienceless and  senseless  barriers  that  he  could  not 
scale  had  he  been  disposed  to  try,  but  his  right  to 
walk  and  ride  in  the  public  highway  was  attacked. 
The  quiet  rebuilding  of  his  home,  even  the  sanc- 
tity of  his  home,  the  planting  of  crops  for  the 
sustenance  of  his  family,  and  the  privilege  of 
public  worship  of  God,  all,  and  more,  were  made 
subjects  of  malevolent  interference. 

Such,  in  the  abstract,  was  the  New  Man. 

The  creation  was  original,  unique,  well-timed; 
but  for  the  South,  unfortunate.  I  say  well-timed, 
for  at  no  other  period  of  the  Country's  history 
could  he  have  attained  prominence.  Conditions 
favored  for  a  moment  and  he  was  brought  forth 
into  the  breach,  and  there  played  such  infamy 
that  no  history  of  the  time  is  complete  without  his 
story. 


VI 

The  New  Man   in  Action 

'^PHE  scenes  witnessed  in  Nashville  as  the 
i  returning  soldiers  assembled  and  dispersed 
were  more  distressing  than  had  been  enacted  there 
at  any  time  during  the  war.  There  is  to  active 
warfare  certain  splendor  and  pomp  that  spreads 
a  glamour  over  its  hideous  face.  But  Peace  that 
follows  in  the  train  of  all  this  glittering  majesty 
—  white-winged  and  beautiful  though  it  be  de- 
scribed —  presents  a  drama  concentrating  the  hor- 
rors of  all  the  preceding  campaigns. 

The  armies  of  peace,  both  blue  and  grey,  were 
there,  and  their  torn  and  bleeding  reninanls 
exceeded  the  number  of  those  in  arms  within  its 
gates  at  any  time  during  the  four  years  of  war. 
And  in  all  this  throng  there  was  no  vengeance. 
When  the  band,  a  part  uniformed  in  blue,  a  part 
in  grey,  played  as  it  marched  through  the  streets, 
it  alternated  the  breezy  air  of  "  Yankee  Doodle  " 
with  the  inspiring  strains  of  "Dixie."  The 
tattered  soldier  in  grey  walked  arm  in  arm  with 
his  late  foe  in  blue.  Brothers  here  met  and  were 
reunited;  old  friendships  dropped  four  years  before 
were  resumed,  and  the  misery  everywhere  visible 
was  softened  by  the  gracious  spirit  of  good-will. 
The  world  never  has  seen  another  such  exhibi- 
tion of  impersonal  patriotism  as  when  the  par- 
ticipants in  this  great  war  of  four  awful  years' 
duration  were  transformed    in    a    day   to    fellow- 

72 


The  New  Man  in  Action  73 

citizens  and  personal  friends.  The  victor  and  the 
vanquished  met,  the  one  without  gloating,  the 
other  without  rancor.  Love  of  country  had  pre- 
vailed over  hate  of  institution  on  the  one  hand, 
over  love  of  institution  on  the  other.  It  was  an 
ideal  condition,  a  beautiful  lesson  in  forbearance; 
but  the  picture  was  destroyed,  the  lesson  spoiled. 
Times  were  too  practical,  opportunities  too  great, 
to  permit  the  indulgence  of  the  ideal.  This 
spreading  fraternity  threatened  the  future  plans  of 
the  New  Man;  and  therein  lay  the  motive  for  all 
that  show  of  virulence  at  a  time  when  forgiveness 
was  the  manly  part. 

To  the  New  Man  nothing  could  be  more  aggra- 
vating than  the  prospect  of  a  reunited  people,  a 
common  country.  This  state  of  affairs  if  allowed 
to  continue,  would  render  his  projected  occupa- 
tion worthless,  and  the  rich  fields  for  patriotic 
exploitation  would  tui'n  to  desert  before  his  hun- 
gering eyes. 

The  wounds,  the  empty  sleeves,  the  rude 
crutches,  the  famished  countenances,  and  the 
innumerable  other  marks  of  human  suffering  that 
met  him  at  every  turn,  made  no  appeal.  If, 
indeed,  he  treated  at  all  with  the  subject  of  this 
misery,  he  dismissed  it  with  the  one  proposition: 
"The  Federals  will  draw  pensions,  the  Kebels 
will  suffer;  both  will  get  their  deserts."  He 
could  afford  to  indulge  this  kind  of  philosophy, 
he  had  wounded  no  soldiers.  The  houses  and 
barns  he  had  burned,  the  defenceless  women  and 
children  he  had  terrified,  and  his  other  character- 
istic military  performances  —  all  done  under  cover 
of  night  —  had   prepared   him  for    such  practical 


74  In  the  Wake  of  War 

conclusions-  In  fact,  this  kind  of  warfare  had  so 
shaped  and  set  his  predisposed  temperament  and 
conscience,  that  misery  only  excited  his  ghoulish 
greed,  and  fraternity  only  fired  his  peculiar  martial 
spirit. 

The  Governor's  office  was  the  rendezvous  for 
the  New  Man.  Here  he  thronged,  here  he  dis- 
coursed on  treason  as  if  it  were  a  new  crime  and 
he  the  discoverer,  here  he  contrived  to  save  the 
country  after  his  own  peculiar  methods;  and,  when 
his  plans  had  been  reduced  to  a  system  and  had 
been  duly  incorporated  into  the  laws  of  the  land, 
here  he  came  for  instruction  in  methods  of  speedy 
and  pestiferous  execution. 

One  morning  a  little  past  the  middle  of  July, 
Jonas  Smith,  Sheriff,  was  among  the  early  callers 
at  the  Governor's  office.  He  had  come  to  the 
Capitol  for  special  instructions  on  some  recent 
legislation,  and  particularly  regarding  a  bill  that 
had  passed  both  branches  of  the  Legislature  the 
night  before  and  now  lay  on  the  Governor's  desk 
for  approval. 

The  Governor  rose  to  shake  hands  as  Smith 
entered  the  room,  and  thus  presented  the  full  out- 
line of  his  figure  before  the  window.  His  was 
no  common  personality:  Full  six  feet  in  height, 
erect,  raw-boned,  vigorous  in  action,  alert  in  re- 
pose. Every  movement  proclaimed  self-confi- 
dence. His  features  were  sharp  cut  and  angular; 
his  hard,  gray  eye  flashed  the  internal  fires  of 
revenge  and  hate  that  were  extinguished  only 
when  the  wild  spirit  left  the  rough  body.  His 
dress  was  loose  and  flabby,  after  the  custom  of 
the  back-country  people,    and   his  massive  hand 


The  New  Man  in  Action  ^ 

showed  the  manual  toil  that  had  been  his  early 
heritage. 

The  leading  quality  of  his  character  was  imperi- 
oiTsness,  which,  without  the  softening  and  restrain- 
ing influence  of  good  breeding,  had  become 
intolerably  overbearing.  Born  to  poverty,  reared 
to  a  struggle  for  daily  bread,  he  early  espoused 
the  notion  that  the  world's  economics  were  ill  ad- 
justed, and  that  he  was  the  victim;  and  he  waged, 
all  his  life,  a  warfare  on  those  more  lucky  or  more 
successful  in  material  affairs  than  himself  as  if  he 
had  inherited  a  grudge  against  good  fortune. 

So  also  it  was  in  religious  and  political  affairs. 
He  never  rose  above  the  plane  of  attack,  and  in 
the  controversies  which  had  consumed  most  of  his 
time  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  never  rose 
above  the  plane  of  personalities.  In  conversation, 
though  prolific  in  ideas  of  his  own  sort,  he  never 
could  elevate  his  forms  of  speech  above  the  com- 
mon slang  of  his  times. 

In  fact,  his  whole  character  might  be  summed 
up  in  the  single  statement  that  he  represented  the 
most  forceful,  and  perhaps  the  most  capable,  of 
that  type  of  man  who  spends  his  life  in  creedal, 
professional  and  political  controversies. 

But,  with  all  his  brute  force  and  human  malice, 
there  yet  remained  one  quality  that  commanded 
respect;  he  possessed  either  personal  courage  or 
bravado  to  such  a  degree  that  it  passed  for  courage 
in  the  estimation  of  the  world. 

Familiar  with  all  the  dialects,  and  especially 
with  that  of  the  country  people  living  in  the  back- 
woods districts,  he  addressed  the  Sheriff  in  his 
own  tongue,  that  spoken  by  a  rather  indefinite 


76  In  the  Wake  of  War 

class  named  by  the  negroes,  "poor  white  trash." 
"How'dy,  Smith,  when  did  you  get  in  ?" 
"  How'dy,  Gov'nor,  how'dy.  Jest  come,  Gov'- 
nor,  jest  got  in.  Rid  all  night,  so's  to  git  here 
right  soon  of  the  mornin'.  Got  yore  o'ders  'bout 
three  o'clock  yesterday  evenin',  an'  saddled  up 
my  ole  mar'  an'  pulled  out.  As  soon  as  Jordan 
handed  me  them  papers  I  knowed  in  reason  some- 
thin'  powerful  lied  happened.  Sara  Ann,  thet  's 
ray  wife,  did  n't  want  me  to  come  a  bit,  but  I  said 
to  her,  '  Sarah  Ann,  the  Gov'nor  has  sent  fo'  me 
an'  I  'm  agoin',  an'  thet 's  the  word  with  the  bark 
on  hit.'  Wlien  I  laid  the  law  down  to  her  she 
knowed  I  meant  business.  If  a  fellow  's  a-goiu' 
to  do  a  thing,  ho  orter  do  hit,  Gov'nor,  and  not 
be  meally  mouthed  about  hit.  I  brought  four 
deputies  along  fo'  company.  Sorter  feared  to  ride 
along  by  myself;  made  heaps  of  enemies  by  exe- 
cutin'  them  last  o'ders  yo'  sent  down  thar,  but  I 
doan  Stan'  back  on  no  o'ders.  O'ders  is  o'ders 
down  in  my  country,  Gov'nor,  and  I  wants  mo' 
of  'em.  I  ain't  afraid  to  execute  no  o'ders." 
And  his  lingo  would  have  continued  interminably 
had  not  the  Governor  broken  it  with  a  question. 
"  Is  everything  quiet  with  you.  Smith  ?  " 
' '  Yas,  if  anything,  too  quiet.  The  soldiers  air 
a-comin'  back  home  an'  goin'  to  work  again. 
Them  ole  airistercrats  are  workin'  on  their  plan- 
tations jest  like  so  many  niggers  use'  to.  An' 
they  doan  look  to  be  ashame'  of  hit,  neither. 
They  air  licked,  but  they  doan  show  hit.  They 
hoi'  their  haids  jest  as  high  as  ever.  I  would  like 
mighty  well  to  git  o'ders  that  would  learn  'em  a 
lesson.      They  treated  me  mighty  oncry  befo'  the 


The  New  Man  in  Action  TT^ 

war  when  I  was  try  in'  to  make  a  hones'  livin',  an' 
I  wants  o'ders  thet  '11  reach  to  them  now." 

"Well,  I  have  a  bill  before  me  that  will  reach 
them  and  give  you  all  the  satisfaction  you  need," 
said  the  Governor.  "  This  bill  passed  the  Senate 
last  night  with  only  two  dissenting  votes,  and  in 
the  House  there  were  only  five  votes  against  it. 
It  only  needs  my  signature,  and  while  it  is  fresh 
in  my  mind  I  '11  sign,  and  end  the  agony."  And 
without  more  ado  the  Governor  affixed  his  bold 
autograph  to  the  measure.  "There,  that  will 
give  you  and  several  other  officers  congenial  busi- 
ness for  the  next  month." 

' '  What  is  the  law  fo, '  Gov'nor,  an'  what  does 
hit  say  to  do  ?  "  asked  the  willing  officer. 

' '  It  is  a  law  to  prevent  the  wearing  of  that 
accursed  Rebel  uniform.  We  don't  propose  to 
have  secession  stalking  about  in  clothes,  even." 

"Now  yo'  air  a-talkin',  thet's  jest  what  we 
want,  Gov'nor.  Yo'  need  hit  here  mighty  bad, 
too.  I  never  seen  anything  like  the  '  free  lovin 
thet  is  a-goin'  on  here  in  Nashville.  I  met  up 
with  more'n  a  dozen  Rebels  an'  our  boys  a-walk- 
in'  arm  in  arm,  like  they  was  brothers.  Thet 
doan  'pear  right  to  me.  After  we  hev  fought  so 
hard  an'  long  to  crush  out  this  cussed  secession, 
to  hev  our  soldiers  a-walkin'  with  Rebels  on  their 
arms  jest  like  thar  never  was  no  war,  seems 
mighty  pore  business  to  me,  Gov'nor,"  said  the 
patriotic  Jonas. 

"This  bill  must  put  an  end  to  all  such  foolish- 
ness," said  the  Governor,  with  a  knowing  look  in 
his  cold  eye.  ' '  We  can  not  put  it  into  effect  here 
in  Nashville,  because  there  are  too  many  of  our 


78  In  the  Wake  of  War 

soldiers  here  who  have  made  up  with  the  Hebels. 
But  out  in  the  country  I  expect  to  have  it  rigidly 
enforced,  if  it  puts  every  Kebel  soldier  in  jail, 
where  he  belongs." 

"  I  knows  right  whar  to  begin  at,  an'  whar  hit 
will  do  the  nios'  good.  Give  me  oMers,  Gov'nor, 
how  yo'  wants  this  law  executed  an'  then  look 
out   fo'    reports   from   ole   Williams    County." 

"It  takes  immediate  effect,"  said  the  Gov- 
ernor. "They  are  entitled  to  no  notice  and  I 
will  give  them  none.  You  are  to  begin  at  once. 
The  penalty  is  from  five  to  twenty-five  dollars 
for  privates,  and  twenty-five  to  fifty  dollars  for 
officers,  and  our  judges  understand  that  we  want 
the  full  limit  of  the  fine.  All  you  have  to  do  is 
to  arrest  every  person  you  see  with  that  accursed 
grey  suit  on,  and  land  him  in  jail.  If  they  offer 
any  resistance,  declare  riot,  call  out  the  County 
Guards  and  suppress  it,  but  land  the  Rebel.  I 
will  furnish  all  the  troops  you  need  to  enforce  the 
law  and  keep  the  peace.  The  judges  of  the  courts 
are  instructed  about  bail.  No  one  can  act  as 
bondsman  who  can  not  take  the  '  test  oath. '  Now 
keep  me  advised  from  time  to  time  how  you  are 
making  out." 

"I  reckon  I  can  make  out  to  fill  orders,  Gov'- 
nor,  without  a-callin'  on  yo' fo'  troops, "  answered 
the  sheriff  in  all  confidence.  ' '  Yo'  know  we  hev 
about  two  hundred  in  our  County  Guards  an'  they 
ail'  with  me  on  o'ders.  If  thet  is  all,  Gov'nor, 
I'll  be  a-goin',  fo'  I  am  wantin'  to  feed  my  ole 
mar',  start  back  an'  git  at  this  work  right  soon. 
I  know  whar  to  begin,  Gov'nor,  I  know  whar  to 
begin.     Good-day,  Gov'nor." 


The  New  Man  in  Action  _79. 

"Good-bye,  Smith,  and  mind,  let  me  have  an 
early  report." 

Several  persons  were  waiting  in  the  ante-room, 
and  as  the  sheriff  went  out,  the  old  negro  Sam,  who 
did  service  as  major-domo,  announced  the  name 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Grayson.  "Admit  him,"  said  the 
Governor. 

' '  I  am  right  glad  to  see  you,  Grayson, "  said  the 
Governor.  "I  was  thinking  just  now  I  would 
like  to  hav^e  a  talk  with  some  of  you  Bureau  fel- 
lows regarding  your  work.  I  have  heard  that 
you  are  to  have  a  parcel  of  teachers,  or  sort  of 
missionaries,  down  here  from  the  ISIorth  to  edu- 
cate the  niggers.      Is  that  right  ? ' ' 

"1  believe  so,  Governor,"  answered  Felix,  in 
his  non-committal  way.  "  In  fact  the  first  lot  of 
them  is  due  to  arrive  next  week.  They  are  to  be 
placed  about,  I  understand,  at  the  different  sta- 
tions of  the  Bureau  to  conduct  schools,  and  help 
in  religious  exercises." 

' '  But  I  am  told  they  are  for  the  most  part 
young  ladies  who  have  volunteered  to  come  down 
here  as  missionaries,   presumably  without  pay." 

"  So  I  understand.  Governor,  'without  money 
and  without  price. '  It  is  certainly  a  very  noble 
work,  especially  their  efforts  to  elevate  the  reli- 
gious standard  of  the  unfortunate  colored  man," 
said  Grayson,  with  ministerial  affectation. 

"Yon  were  born  in  the  South,  I  believe,  Gray- 
son?" enquired  the  Governor,  quickly.  The 
conversation  was  approaching  an  argument,  and 
he  drifted  naturally  toward  personalities. 

"Yes,  Governor,  I  have  lived  here  a  good  bit 
of  my  life,"  Grayson  answered,  imperturbablj. 


80  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Then  you  know  what  folly  this  missionary 
business  is.  There  is  something  mawkish  and 
morbid  about  it,  as  applied  to  this  matter.  When 
I  was  in  the  North  they  told  me  of  young  ladies 
having  Chinamen  in  their  Sunday-school  classes, 
trying  to  convert  and  Christianize  them.  In  some 
cases  the  teacher  was  converted,  for  she  ran  away 
and  married  Mr.  John.  Somehow  this  mission- 
ary talk  calls  to  mind  those  stories.  But  what  is 
to  be  the  result  of  all  this  schooling — what  is  it 
for  ?  Do  those  politicians  at  Washington  intend 
to  make  a  voter  of  the  negro  ?  " 

"I  can  not  tell  you,  Governor,"  answered 
Grayson.  "  They  have  disclosed  no  plans  for 
the  future  to  us;  they  only  issue  instructions  from 
day  to  day." 

"  Oh,  of  course  not.  It  is  a  political  move, 
and  for  a  good  purpose  —  to  control  the  vote  of 
the  South.  But  it  will  be  foolish  to  enfranchise 
the  nigger,  and  unnecessary.  If  other  States  will 
follow  my  lead  in  providing  for  voters,  '  test  oaths  ' 
and  '  amnesty  bills '  of  the  right  kind,  we'll  keep 
these  Rebels  where  they  belong  until  they  die, 
and  then  they  '11  just  naturally  go  where  they 
belong.      I  don't  need  any  nigger  vote." 

"  I  had  not  even  suspected  that  such  was  the 
ultimate  purpose  of  all  this  school-teaching,  but 
perhaps  it  is.  I  thought  it  was  a  purely  religious 
move,  for  the  spiritual  good  of  the  negro;  and 
while  I  sometimes  questioned  the  good  sense  of  it 
as  a  religious  measure,  I  gave  those  engaged  in  it 
credit  for  honesty  of  purpose,"  said  the  evasive 
Felix. 

"  These  teachers  may  be  honest,  but  they  are 


The  New  Man  in  Action  8\_ 

deluded.  You  see  the  politicians  had  to  work  the 
religious  dodge  to  get  volunteers.  But  this  is  a 
bad  business.  The  black  man  must  emigrate  — 
we  shall  have  to  colonize  him.  It  is  impossible 
for  the  two  races  to  live  together  as  equals  before 
the  law.  The  negro  has  been  a  servant,  a  slave, 
since  Mr.  Ham  had  a  row  with  his  father  and 
wandered  off  down  into  Africa  to  populate  the 
jungles.  Every  effort  to  raise  him  above  that 
condition  has  been  a  failure.  You  can^t  put  into 
him  the  spirit  of  personal  independence  that  is 
essential  to  a  citizen." 

"  I  hope  the  experiment  will  not  be  made,  for 
it  might  make  trouble  again  in  the  South.  Negro 
equality  would  be  very  aggravating  to  the  people 
down  here,  at  this  time,"  said  Grayson. 

"  That's  the  only  thing  in  favor  of  it.  If  you 
hear  anything  further  about  the  matter,  I  wish 
you'd  let  me  know,"  said  the  Governor  in  away 
of  his  own,  that  never  failed  to  be  understood  as 
meaning,  "this  interview  is  closed,"  and  without 
further  talk  Grayson  withdrew. 


VII 

The  Old,  Old  Story 

AFTER  much  contriving  and  joining  together 
of  odd  parts,  the  Lewises  and  Graysons  found 
that  a  work-harness  sufficient  to  gear  one  horse  to 
a  plow  could  be  raised  between  the  two  families. 
Their  sky  took  on  a  rosy  tinge.  A  harvest, 
plentiful  to  their  famished  eyes,  seemed  more  than 
a  promise  to  the  young  men.  The  dismal  possi- 
bilities of  late  seed-time,  or  untoward  drought,  or 
the  numberless  other  haps,  cast  no  cloud.  They 
understood  full  well  the  necessities  of  their  condi- 
tion, and  were  willing  to  work.  Why  should  they 
not  trust  the  returning  bounty  of  Mother  Earth  ? 
For  once  Major  Lewis  restrained  his  blunt  satire, 
and  allowed  them,  unhampered  by  suggestion  of 
mischance,  to  figure  on  a  certain  crop. 

"I'll  toss  a  coin  with  you.  Manning,  to  see  who 
has  the  first  day's  work  with  the  patchwork  out- 
fit," said  Howard. 

"But  where  v/ill  you  get  the  coin  ?  "  asked 
Major  Lewis,  quickly. 

"That's  true,  v/here  i;  "  answered  Howard,  so 
dejectedly  that  all  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh  at  his 
expense, 

"No,  Howard,  we'll  take  no  chances  on  the 
first  use  of  the  horse  and  plow.  You  have  most 
enthusiasm  and  shall  have  the  first  lick  at  the 
work.  If  you  like  I'll  come  over  and  lend  a 
hand,"  said  Manning. 


The  Old.  Old  Story  83 

"Just  like  you  again,"  cried  Howard.  "  Well, 
come  over  to-morrow  morning  and  I  '11  show  you 
how  to  make  a  corn  crop.  Don  't  forget  those 
straps,  or  we  shall  have  no  harness." 

Mary  Lou  now  excused  herself  from  the  group, 
saying  that  she  nmst  prepare  dinner. 

"  May  I  walk  to  the  house  with  you.  Miss  Mary 
Lou,  and  get  a  drink?  "  asked  Manning. 

"Certainly,"  she  answered,  "I  need  a  bucket 
of  water  from  the  spring,  and  you  shall  have  a 
drink  for  fetching  it." 

"  Don't  give  him  a  mint  julep,  Miss  Mary  Lou. 
If  there  are  any  juleps  in  that  spring,  I  '11  go  for 
the  water,"  said  the  Major.  "That's  another 
thing  we  've  lost  in  this  cussed  war.  I  never  did 
drink  much  liquor,  but  when  I  want  a  julep  and 
can't  get  it,  I  feel  like  I  'm  in  the  dentist's  chaii*. " 

As  they  withdrew.  Manning  Lewis,  for  the  first 
time  in  his  life,  felt  embarrassed  in  her  presence. 
By  reason  of  the  long  friendship  between  their 
families,  they  had  grown  up  together  from  child- 
hood to  a  perfect  exchange  of  confidences.  In 
fact  each  had  felt  for  years  that  the  time  would 
come  when  the  union  of  the  Lewises  and  Graysons 
would  be  made  complete  through  their  maijriage. 
Yet,  prosy  as  it  may  be  to  admit  it,  no  word  or 
intimation  ever  had  passed  between  them  on  the 
subject. 

She  saw  at  once  the  cause  of  his  hesitation  and 
tried  to  avert  the  disclosure  by  opening  the  conver- 
sation in  a  way  that  would  turn  his  attention. 
"How  tired  one  gets  of  all  this  talk  of  crops. 
Shall  we  have  no  other  subject  for  conversation  in 
the  future  ?     Crops  are  necessary,    but  shall    our 


84  In  THE  Wake  OF  War 

thoughts  never  again  soar  higher  than  the  tassels 
on  our  corn  ?  Is  this  the  modern  civilization  that 
is  to  be  introduced  into  the  South?"  But  he 
answered  in  an  incoherent  manner  that  showed  he 
scarcely  understood  her  remarks.  He  cleared  his 
throat  and  moved  his  lips,  but  no  sound  came 
forth.  His  voice  never  had  failed  him  when  he 
urged  a  hundred  men  to  the  charge,  but  now  he 
felt  the  presence  of  a  spirit  stronger  than  all 
theirs.  So  they  walked  on  in  silence,  her  burn- 
ing face  hidden  in  the  depths  of  her  sunbonnet, 
her  eyes  fixed  on  the  ground. 

At  last  he  took  a  new  tack  and  blundered  out: 
"I  wanted  to  write  to  you,  Miss  Mary  Lou,  after 
I  got  my  promotion." 

"  Oh,  brother  wrote  us  all  about  it.  Manning. 
We  knew  of  it  by  the  first  post,  and  all  about  the 
services  that  brought  the  promotion.  Howard 
wrote  us  very  often,  as  you  no  doubt  know."  She 
answered  with  such  apparent  composure  that  his 
embarrassment  was  not  relieved. 

"  But  that  was  not  what  I  wanted  to  write  you 
about,"  he  cried,  almost  violently.  "Not  that  I 
took  pride  in  my  promotion,  but  because  —  be- 
cause I  have  loved  you  all  my  life  —  that  was 
what  I  wanted  to  write.  But  our  mails  were  so 
uncertain,  and  then  I  wanted  the  pleasure  of  tell- 
ing you. " 

She  stopped,  and  continued  to  look  on  the 
ground.  At  last  she  raised  her  eyes  to  his  with 
childlike  frankness  and  said:  "I  don't  know  what 
to  answer  you.  Manning.  Matters  have  changed 
so  much  —  the  future  looks  as  strange  to  me  as 
the  present    seems.      For    now,   please  withdraw 


The  Old,  Old  Story  85_ 

your  last  remark,  and  let  us  go  on  as   if  you  had 
not  made  it." 

"I  can  not,  I  can  not !  I  wanted  to  tell  you 
before  I  went  away  with  the  army,  but  then  I  had 
nothing  to  offer  you  but  myself,  and  I  felt  un- 
worthy. When  I  was  a  boy  and  first  discovered 
my  love  for  you,  I  often  wished  for  a  war  in  which 
I  could  distinguish  myself,  that  I  might  deserve 
you.  Now  I  have  had  the  chance,  and  have  little 
more  to  offer.  But  I  will  confess  I  did  what  I  did 
more  for  love  of  you  than  for  love  of  Country.  I 
love  the  South  and  our  rights,  but  in  the  field,  on 
the  march,  or  in  battle,  I  thought  of  you  a  hun- 
dred times  before  I  thought  of  them  once." 

"No.  no.  Manning,  I  can  not  believe  it.  I 
have  thought  of  you  these  four  years  as  one  who 
fought  for  the  righteousness  of  our  cause  —  don't 
disappoint  me  now." 

"It  may  be  that  you  were  the  embodiment  of 
our  cause,  but  it  was  you.  Could  I  love  you  and 
think  of  j^our  having  to  live  under  other  conditions 
than  those  to  which  we  have  grown  up  ?  It  may 
be  weakness,  it  may  be  selfishness,  but  it  was  you. 
Your  charming  and  lovable  self  was  my  star  ;  and 
now,  after  four  awful  years,  I  return  to  find  you 
more  lovely,  more  beautiful  than  ever.  Our 
political  hopes  are  swept  away,  but  my  love  in- 
spires new  hopes." 

' '  Whatever  ray  position,  you  will  not  press  the 
question  to-day.  In  the  name  of  the  friendship 
of  our  childhood,  give  me  a  little  time,""  she 
pleaded. 

"  How  much  time?  How  shall  I  know  when  to 
speak  again  ?     I  can  not  wait  long,  Mary  Lou.     I 


86  In  the  Wake  of  War 

have  waited  now  until  I  have  tried  to  do  some- 
thing to  deserve  you.  I  am  still  unworthy,  but  I 
have  tried." 

"I  do  not  question  your  worth,  Manning,  and 
I  can  not  now  tell  you  my  reasons,  but  you  must 
wait  for  a  time,"  she  said. 

' '  May  I  not  hope  for  an  early  permission  to  ask 
Colonel  Grayson  for  your  hand  ?  "  he  asked. 

"I  can  not  tell  you  that,  even.  But  give  me 
your  hand,  and  tell  me  that  this  conversation 
shall  not  be  mentioned,  and  that  we  are  still  the 
friends  we  always  have  been." 

He  took. her  hand  regretfully. 

"That  ought  to  satisfy  any  man,  for  no  other 
living  man  enjoys  the  friendship  of  such  a  woman. 
Well,  give  me  the  bucket  and  I'll  begin  to  be 
your  slave." 

' '  No,  you  may  bring  the  water  as  my  old-time 
friend,  or  help  me  to  get  dinner  —  not  as  my 
slave." 

"  As  you  like,"  and  he  went  toward  the  spring- 
house  with  the  hardest  problem  of  his  life  just 
propounded,  and  he  forbidden  to  attempt  its 
solution. 

What  did  it  all  mean  ?  Was  everything  swept 
away  by  the  terrible  deluge  that  had  overwhelmed 
their  Section  'i  Was  nothing  left  but  waste  ?  Had 
people's  hearts  been  conquered,  like  their  armies? 
Some,  he  knew,  had  gone  over  to  the  enemy,  easy 
prey  to  the  victor.  But  Mary  Lou  was  not  of 
that  class.  Human  hearts  like  hers,  attuned  to 
the  integrity  and  sincerity  of  their  customs;  human 
hearts  rooted  in  the  ancient  soil  of  their  splendid 
civilization,  could  not  be  changed  by  the  misfor- 


The  Old,  Old  Story  87 

tunes  of  a  day  or  a  year.  The  cause  of  his  disap- 
pointment was  locked  within  her  breast  —  some 
matter  of  conscience  or  duty,  but  right,  he  was 
certain.  He  would  watch  and  soon  it  would  show 
itself.  Then  he  would  come  in  and  stop  the  silent 
tragedy. 

When  left  alone,  Mary  Lou  neglected  her  work 
for  a  few  moments'  reflection.  She  had  thought 
only  a  short  time  before  that  she  loved  Manning 
Lewis.  She  recalled  how  hearty  and  generous 
he  was  as  a  boy,  and  how  he  had  grown  to  sin- 
cere and  honest  manhood,  possessed  of  all  those 
straightforward  traits  of  character  that  women 
worth  winning  most  admire.  And  now,  without 
the  sacrifice  of  a  single  personal  virtue,  he  had 
made  for  himself  a  good  record.  He  had  shown 
himself  composed  of  that  mettle  from  which  heroes 
are  made. 

But  he  denied  the  influence  of  patriotism.  He 
had  confessed  a  selfish  motive.  Perhaps  he  had 
not  analyzed  his  feelings  to  their  full  depths  — 
he  was  mistaken  in  himself.  Perhaps  he  was 
right,  and  she  had  never  fully  understood  his 
character. 

The  first  shock  of  this  blunt  declaration  having 
passed,  she  asked  herself:  "  Why,  after  all,  should 
not  I  be  flattered  by  such  a  confession  ? "  To  be 
the  lodestar  to  a  man  through  such  dangers  and 
privations  exceeded  her  earthly  ambition;  to  be 
invested  by  him  with  all  his  high  ideals  was  more 
than  admiration,  it  was  little  short  of  worship. 
She  had  known  that  he  loved  her,  yet  she  never 
had  thought  of  him  as  suffering  the  miseries  of 


88  \H  THE  Wake  of  War 

war  on  her  account.     But  did  he  love  the  South  ? 
That  was  the  question. 

This  dream  was  of  short  duration,  and  she 
turned  the  drift  of  her  thoughts.  If  she  went 
away,  who  would  care  for  her  foster-father,  and 
repay  all  his  incomparable  kindnesses  ?  She  could 
not  remember  the  time  when  she  was  left  by  the 
untimely  death  of  her  parents,  a  helpless  and 
homeless  infant,  and  he  had  taken  her  to  his  home 
and  heart.  She  could  remember  only  his  contin- 
uous and  unchanging  tenderness  and  devotion. 
Kind,  patient,  considerate,  loving;  could  a  natural 
father  be  more  ?  All  this,  without  nature's  mys- 
terious bond  of  paternity!  As  much  and  often 
as  she  had  thought  of  it,  her  obligation  never 
before  had  seemed  so  great. 

And  Howard,  who  had  been  the  ideal  brother! 
With  his  strong  impulsive  nature,  which  in  youth 
was  not  always  under  perfect  control,  she  could 
not  remember  that  she  had  ever  been  made  to  feel 
that  she  was  a  foster-sister.  He  had  prospects 
before  the  war  that  would  have  kept  the  homo 
together  without  her  presence,  but  the  events  of 
the  past  four  years  had  left  a  cruel  wound  in  his 
heart.  He  now  deserved  not  only  a  home,  but  the 
consolation  of  sisterly  attentions.  Was  all  this 
of  Providential  directing  that  she  might  make  a 
silent  sacrifice  of  her  own  hopes  for  their  comfort 
and  happiness?  She  could  not  make  repayment; 
the  debt  was  too  great,  but  she  could  have  the 
satisfaction  of  trying.  Time  and  good  fortune 
might  change  Howard's  plans  and  then  she  would 
be  free  again;  but  this  must  come  about  naturally, 
and  without  selfish  planning  and  scheming. 


The  Old,  Old  Story  J9 

So  notliing  remained  for  Manning  Lewis  but  to 
wait  and  grope  in  the  mystery  —  she  could  not 
explaii'i,  and  he  must  not  carry  his  afflictions  to 
Howard,  In  the  meantime  she  could  solve  the 
question  of  Manning's  patriotism.  She  could 
determine  whether  he  fought  for  a  record,  or 
because  he  loved  Southern  rights. 


VIII 
Orders  Is  Orders 

WHILE  this  old  conflict,  as  old  as  the  human 
race,  between  Ideal  and  Duty  was  being 
fought  to  another  draw,  the  other  members  of  the 
family  sat  under  the  spreading  oaks  of  the  house- 
lot  discussing  the  two  problems  of  the  times,  the 
situation  and  the  outlook.  They  were  heedless  of 
intruders,  until  they  heard  the  tramp  bf  horses, 
and  on  looking  up  saw  five  men  riding  toward 
them.  Each  wore  a  blue  uniform,  evidently  a 
castaway,  and  the  one  in  advance  displayed  offi- 
cer's straps;  on  one  fat,  dum])y  shoulder  that  of 
a  captain,   on  the  other  that  of  a  lieutenant. 

Major  Lewis  spoke  up  quickly:  "As  I  'ma 
sinner,  there  comes  Jonas  Smith  with  a  posse  at 
his  heels;  trouble  is  brewing  from  some  quarter. 
They  are  turning  in  here.  Have  you  anything 
left  that  they  can  carry  off,   Kodeny  ?  " 

"Nothing  that  would  be"  worth  the  time  and 
exertion  of  that  crowd,  I  believe,"  answered 
Colonel  Grayson. 

"But  what  is  Jonas  Smith  doing  with  a  Fed- 
eral uniform  on?"  asked  Howard.  "The  last 
time  I  saw  him,  the  day  I  enlisted,  he  was  on 
crutches  at  Kosciusko  shouting  louder  for  seces- 
sion than  any  three  men  who  joined  the  army  of 
the  States." 

"  Yes,  that  attack  of  rheumatism  lasted  until 
the  conscript  officers  threatened  to  have  him  exam- 


Orders  Is  Orders  9\^ 

ined  by  surgeons,  when  suddenly  Mr.  Jonas  dis- 
appeared. He  remained  in  hiding  until  the  fortunes 
of  war  were  against  us,  and  then  suddenly  reap- 
peared, well  of  body  and  changed  of  heart.  He 
espoused  the  Federal  cause  with  more  vehemence 
than  you  saw  him  manifest  for  the  Confederacy 
at  Kosciusko,  and  now  he  is  high  sheriff  of  Will- 
iams County.  Such  is  the  genus  patriot,"  said 
Major  Lewis. 

"  You  can't  mean  to  tell  me  that  this  scoundrel, 
who  has  been  a  negro-trader  all  his  life,  has 
turned  his  coat  and  now  holds  ofhce  in  Williams 
County,"  exclaimed  Howard,  with  great  surprise. 

"Yes,  my  son,"  said  Colonel  Grayson,  "to 
just  such  depths  have  we  fallen  in  these  new 
times.  That  person,  who  never  did,  knowingly, 
a  decent  thing  in  all  his  life,  and  whose  father 
ran  an  auction-block,  is  now  sheriff"  of  our  county. 
Captain  of  the  County  Guards,  a  man  of  author- 
ity and  influence  with  the  powers  in  control  of  the 
State  Government;  and,  worst  of  all,  in  this  new 
association,  is  a  representative  citizen.  He  may 
honor  us  with  a  discourse  on  treason,  if  he  stops 
long  enough." 

' '  Conduct  the  conversation,  Rodeny,  for  I 
can't  trust  myself  to  speak  with  the  contemptible 
cuss.  You  hate  the  damned  nigger-trader  as 
much  as  I  do,  but  you  have  better  control  of 
yourself,"  said  Major  Lewis  in  an  undertone,  for 
the  horsemen  were  then  upon  them. 

As  they  drew  near.  Smith  was  noticed  to  be 
giving  orders,  in  response  to  which  two  of  his 
followers  deployed  from  each  side  and  rode  around 
until   they    encircled    the    party    on    the   ground. 


92  In  the  Wake  of  War 

When  they  had  brought  their  horses  to  a  stand, 
Colonel  Grayson  looked  up  for  the  first  time  and 
spoke:  "Good-morning,  Smith,  this  is  a  fine 
summer's  day." 

"Mornin',  gentlemen,  mornin'.  A  very  fine 
day,  Cunnel,  jest  as  yo'  say,  a  very  fine  day." 
Smith  always  repeated  when  he  spoke  to  social 
superiors;  he  thought  it  added  emphasis.  "We 
air  out  executin'  o'ders,  Cunnel,  executin'  o'ders, 
suli.  We  could  n't  make  our  Confederate  Gover'- 
ment  hoi,'  Cunnel  — we  got  licked  — an'  now  we 
must  tu'n  in,  suh,  an'  support  the  ole  Gover'- 
raent. "  Colonel  Grayson  nodded  assent  to  the 
patriotic  Jonas,  who  Vv'as  about  to  continue  his 
harangue,  when  Major  Lewis,  forgetting  his  reso- 
lution, asked:  "  What  orders  bring  you  this  way, 
Smith?" 

"Important  o'ders,  gentlemen,  important  o'ders. 
I  'm  mighty  sorry  to  say,  but  we  shall  hev  to 
arrest  Cap' n  (I  think  thet 's  his  rank),  Cap'n 
Grayson.     Sorry  to  say  so,  but  o'ders  is  o'ders." 

Major  Lewis  showed  no  surprise. 

"  On  what  charge.  Smith  ?  My  son  has  taken 
the  oath  and  expects  to  keep"  his  parole.  I  have 
never  known  him  to  be  guilty  of  a  felony  or  mis- 
demeanor, unless  it  be  one  to  have  a  conscience 
and  the  personal  courage  to  follow  its  dictates," 
said  Colonel  Grayson,  with  perfect  composure, 

"  No  conscience  an'  no  courage  hev  to  do  with 
the  case,  Cunnel.  On  them  questions  yo'  hev 
always  been  souu',  and  the  Cap'n  too,  accordin' 
to  common  remark  in  this  neighborhood;  but  hit 
is  against  the  law  of  Tennessee  to  wear  thet  Eebel 
unifo'm,    sence  we    smashed   the   Rebel    Gover'- 


Orders  Is  Orders  ^ 

merit."  Smith  evidently  had  forgotten  that  he 
spoke  a  moment  before  as  a  member  of  the  crushed 
cause.  "We  air  o'dered  to  arrest  every  man 
wearin'  thet  unifo'm,  an'  o'ders  is  o'ders,  Gunnel.'' 

"But  my  son  has  no  other  clothes  to  wear, " 
said  Colonel  Grayson.  "  Federal  soldiers  robbed 
my  house  of  every  article  of  clothing  that  my 
daughter  had  not  already  given  to  the  negroes. 
Howard  came  home  only  last  night,  and  you 
surely  will  give  him  an  opportunity  to  clothe  him- 
self according  to  the  law;  we  do  not  aim  to  begin 
our  new  citizenship  as  willful  law-breakers." 

"  I  hev  no  o'ders  coverin'  sech  a  case,  Gunnel. 
Arrest  him,  gentlemen  !  "  The  officers,  who, 
perhaps  never  before  had  been  addressed  as 
"gentlemen,"  outside  a  bar-room,  made  no  im- 
mediate response  to  the  order,  and  Howard  s])rang 
lightly  to  a  tree  and  placed  himself  in  attitude  of 
defense.  But  his  father  with  a  mild  movement 
of  his  hand,  restrained  him  and  said:  "No, 
Howard,  do  not  think  of  resisting  the  officers  of 
the  law."  Then  turning  to  the  sheriff  he  asked: 
"  You  have  a  warrant  from  some  duly  authorized 
court,  I  reckon  ?  Would  you  mind  allowing  us 
to  see  it  ?  " 

"I  hev  n't  no  reg'lar  warrant,  Gunnel;  no  war- 
rant, only  o'ders,  suh,"  answered  the  sheriff. 

"  You  can  not  arrest  a  citizen  in  time  of  peace 
without  a  warrant,  can  you?"  asked  Golonel 
Grayson,  calmly. 

"Oh,  yas,  I  can.  Gunnel,  on  o'ders.  O'ders 
takes  the  place  of  warrants  an'  everything,"  de- 
clared the  fledgling  of  authority,  with  great  cer- 
tainty. 


9±  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"1  won't  submit  to  this,  especially  at  the  hands 
of  such  a  scoundrel  as  Jonas  Smith,"  cried  Howard, 
in  spite  of  the  reproving  look  of  his  father. 

"Yas,  yo'  will,  Cap'n.  For  I'm  not  only 
Cap'n  Jonas  Smith,  but  sheriff  of  Williams  County, " 
said  Smith  with  tantalizing  superiority,  and  he 
drew  a  revolver  from  its  holster  at  his  belt. 

"Shoot,  if  you  like,  you  turn-coat;  you  shall 
not  take  me  alive,"  cried  Howard,  in  desperation. 

But  Colonel  Grayson  took  a  step  toward  his  son, 
and  said:  "  Go  with  them,  Howard,  and  make  no 
resistance,  for  they  represent  the  present  admin- 
istration of  law  in  Tennessee.  Major  Lewis  and 
I  will  go  to  Kosciusko  and  sign  your  bail-bond. 
This  is  a  cruel  business,  but  we  must  obey  the 
laws,  when  we  know  what  they  arc.  You  can  not 
ask  even  the  satisfaction  that  this  insult  demands, 
for  that  implies  that  the  offender  is  a  gentleman. 
Go  with  them,  Howard,  there  's  nothing  else 
to    do." 

The  insinuation  was  lost  on  Smith,  whose 
knowledge  of  the  code  went  not  beyond  the  plain 
challenge  in  writing,  and  with  a  show  of  considera- 
tion, he  said:  "  We  could  shackel  him,  Cunnel, 
but  bein'  as  he  is  a  Cap'n,  of  the  same  rank  of  my- 
self, I  '11  not  show  him  thet  disrespec'.  Corp'ral 
Garrison,  help  the  Cap'n  on  Lieutenant  Brassley's 
mar' — she  can  carry  double."  Now  Brassley 
had  been,  before  the  war,  overseer  on  the  only 
plantation  in  the  neighborhood  where  slaves  had 
been  cruelly  flogged,  and  he  was  more  notorious 
for  brutality  and  consequently  more  thoroughly 
despised  by  decent  white  people  than  the  negro- 
trader,  Jonas  Smith. 


Orders  Is  Orders  ^5 

"Must  I  submit  to  this  new  indignity,  Father? 
Arrested  by  Jonas  Smith,  and  carried  off  to  jail 
by  Zack  Brassley!  Shall  I  go,  or  die  here  and 
now  ?  "  cried  Howard. 

"  I  think  it  best  that  you  go,  my  son." 

"Yes,  Howard,  it's  better  that  some  men 
arrest  you,  than  that  they  say  good-morning  to  you 
in  the  public  street,"  put  in  the  Major. 

Meantime,  Manning  Lewis  had  returned  from 
the  spring  with  the  bucket  of  water,  and  as  he 
came  to  the  house  he  found  Mary  Lou  on  the  front 
piazza  looking  anxiously  at  the  crowd. 

"What  can  that  mean,  Mr.  Manning?"  she 
asked.  "Those  soldiers  came  so  suddenly,  and 
there  seems  to  be  some  excitement.  Can  it  be 
that  we  are  to  have  more  trouble  ?  Please  go 
quickly  and  see  what  it  means."  And  he  started 
off  at  a  run. 

"Oh,  ho,  here  comes  another  criminal,"  cried 
the  sheriff',  as  he  saw  Manning  in  his  ragged  old 
uniform.  ' '  We  shall  hev  to  take  him  along,  too, 
gentlemen.  The  Gov'nor  say  arrest  every  one 
with  thet  cussed  uniform  on,  an'  o'ders  is  o'ders, 
as  I  said  befo'.  Gunnel." 

"Yes,  take  him,  too.  Smith,  "said  Major  Lewis, 
"  my  son  shall  take  the  same  fate  as  his  captain." 
Then  turning  to  his  son  he  continued:  "  Maiming, 
it  seems  that  you  and  Howard  are  unconscious 
and  necessary  violators  of  laws  enacted  by  the 
wisdom  of  Nashville  and  executed  by  the  patriot- 
ism of  Williams  County.  You  are  both  under 
arrest.  By  our  advice,  Howard  has  submitted 
without  resistance.  I  ask  you  to  do  the  same,  as 
you  are  equally  guilty." 


96  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Howard  under  arrest!  Well,  Mr.  Nigger- 
trader,  take  me  too  ;  we'll  investigate  afterward." 

The  obliging  corporal  helped  him  to  mount  the 
horse  with  the  second  lieutenant,  one  Bonfir,  who 
had  served  a  term  in  the  penitentiary  for  arson. 

"Major  Lewis  and  I  will  be  in  Kosciusko  as 
soon  as  you  are,"  Colonel  Grayson  called  after  the 
young  men  as  they  rode  away  with  their  escort. 

' '  The  worst  of  all  this  business.  Major  Lewis,  is 
the  blow  to  Mary  Lou.  She  will  feel  the  disgrace 
of  this  outrage  most  keenly." 

"She  is  a  better  philosopher  and  has  more 
sense  than  all  of  us  together,"  said  the  Major, 
"  and  will  take  in  the  situation  at  once.  But  you 
can 't  go  to  Kosciusko  and  leave  her  here  alone. 
It  would  n't  be  safe.  The  country  is  overrun 
with  patriots  of  this  new  kind.  I  '11  go  and 
arrange  the  matter  of  bail,  and  bring  the  young 
men  home;  then  we  will  have  another  reunion. 
These  reunions  are  pleasant,  but  may  lose  their 
edge  through  too  frequent  use." 


IX 

Ingratitude,  Black   Ingratitude 

BUT  Sheriff  Smith  and  posse  were  not  to  sail 
into  harbor  without  encountering  a  storm,  and 
that  from  an  unexpected  quarter.  Pleas,  who 
liad  spent  his  first  day  of  manumission  in  hunting 
out  and  doing  odd  jobs  of  repairing  (such  as  he 
never  had  been  asked  to  do  in  slavery),  was  try- 
ing to  bring  the  gate  post  back  to  plumb  when 
the  officers  with  their  prisoners  rode  down  throngh 
the  house-lot  to  the  pike.  He  could  not  com- 
prehend the  situation,  and  with  the  familiarity  of 
a  body  servant  asked:  "  Whar  yo'  go,  Mars 
Howard  ? " 

"  Oh,  1  have  to  go  to  Kosciusko  with  Sheriff 
Smith,  on  a  little  matter  of  business,"  he  answered 
indifferently.  But  this  did  not  satisfy  Pleas;  on 
the  contrary,  it  somewhat  aroused  his  suspicion, 
and  he  stepped  quickly  into  the  road  in  front  of 
Brassley's  horse.  The  whole  cavalcade  came  to 
a  halt.  "What  business  we  got  'long  with 
Jonas  Smith  ?  He  doan  got  no  mo'  niggers  to 
sell,  'sides  we  nerr  done  no  business  with  him  no 
how.      Whar  yo'  go,  Mars  Manning  ?  " 

"The  Captain  and  I  have  to  go  to  town  on 
special  business.  Pleas.  We  will  be  gone  bat  a 
short  while;  we  will  be  back  directly,"  answered 
Manning.  But  Pleas  refused  to  be  put  off,  and 
took  Brassley's  horse  by  the  bit. 

"  Naw,  suh,  Zach  Brassley,   yo'  caint   ride  no 

7  97 


98  In  the  Wake  of  War 

furder  till  ole  Pleas  nn'erstan's  'bout  dis  business. 
What  is  hit,  Mars'  Howard  ?  " 

Howard  tried  to  speak,  but  could  not  utter  a 
word.  Something  stuck  in  his  throat.  Smith, 
whose  sentiment  had  not  been  touched,  spoke  up 
with  some  impatience  :  — 

"  Cap'n  Grayson  an'  Lieutenant  Lewis  air 
un'er  arrest,  an'  yo'  air  resistin'  the  sheriff  of 
Williams  County.  Get  outn  our  way,  nigger." 
Pleas  did  not  move,  nor  relinquish  his  hold  on 
Brassley's  horse;  he  stood  as  if  dazed  and  mut- 
tered :  — 

"Mars  Howard  'rested.  Mars  Manning  'rested; 
'rested  by  Jonas  Smith  an'  Zack  Brassley.  Qual- 
ity 'rested  by  trash!  "  Pleas  was  the  descendant 
of  negroes  that  came  out  from  Virginia  with  the 
pioneer  Grayson,  and  was  one  of  the  few  in 
Tennessee  who  continued  to  believe  in  and  talk 
about  quality.  "  Naw,  suh,  Jonas  Smith,  she'ff 
er  no  she'ff  yo'  caint  'rest  my  young  marster  an' 
tote  him  oft'  to  jail.     Ole  Pleas  won'  " 

"Get  outn  the  road,  nigger,  or  I  '11  declar'  a 
riot  an'  call  out  the  County  Guards,"  cried  the 
sheriff,  maudlin  with  rage  at  the  defiance  shown 
his  authority.  "I  hev  sole  better  niggers  'n 
yo'  fo'  five  hundred  dollars,"  he  continued,  com- 
pletely forgetting  himself. 

"Pleas  will  make  no  trouble  when  he  under- 
stands this  matter,"  said  Howard.  Then  address- 
ing his  servant  he  continued,  "Mr.  Manning  and 
I  are  arrested.  Pleas,  because  we  are  wearing  our 
old  uniforms.  We  have  to  go  to  court  and  give 
bail  or  pay  our  fines.  That  is  all.  We'll  be 
back  directly." 


Ingratitude,  Black  Ingratitude  99 

<'I  go  with  yo',  Mars  Howard.  Ole  Pleas  doan 
trus'  yo'  long  with  nigger-beatin'  Zack  Brassley. 
Dis  de  new  gov'ment  I  heerd  yo'  an'  Mars 
JRodeny  a-speakin'  'bout  las'  night  ?  Mighty 
trashy  gov'ment!  Nothin'  good  in  hit  fo'  white 
folks,  nor  niggers,  nerr. " 

And  still  he  did  not  move,  nor  give  up  his 
hold  on  the  horse.  The  officers  were  grumbling 
among  themselves  at  the  interruption  and  the 
indifference  shown  them  by  a  negro  slave;  but 
Pleas  heard  not,  or  ignored  them  entirely. 

At  last  Howard  said:  "  You  go  up  to  the  house, 
Pleas,  and  help  father.     He  needs  you  now." 

"If  yo'  go  with  dese  men,  lemme  catch  yo' 
hoss;  yo'  doan  wan'  to  ride  with  dat  Zack 
Brassley.  We  be  'ternally  disgrace'.  I  bring 
yo'  hoss  right  quick.  Lemme  help  yo'  to  'light. 
Mars  Howard." 

"No,  thank  you.  Pleas,  I  will  go  as  I  am. 
You  hurry  up  to  the  house  and  help  father,"  said 
Howard.  And  Pleas  let  go  his  hold  on  the 
horse's  bridle  and  the  posse  moved  on,  but  not 
till  Corporal  Garrison,  who  was  their  toady  and 
philanthropist,  suggested  to  him  that  he  could 
learn  things  to  his  advantage  at  the  Union  League. 

As  they  rode  away  they  heard  Pleas  muttering 
to  himself:  "Union  League,  Union  League,  I 
doan  wan'  no  Union  League.  De  niggers  need  a 
good  beatin'  an'  be  set  to  wuck.  Union  League 
with  Jonas  Smith  an'  Zack  Brassley  in  hit!" 

Smith  having  exploded  his  mine  of  fury  now 
fell  to  philosophizing:  "What  ungrateful  critters 
niggers  is!  I  hev  worked  fo'  niggers  all  my  life- 
long; hev  took  'em  from  pore,  bankrup'  masters, 


100  In  the  Wake  of  War 

an'  sole  'em  to  rich  uns;  hev  carried  'em  'way 
from  wives  thet  they  was  tired  of,  a  hundred  mile, 
an'  sole  'em  whar  they  could  git  new  uns,  an' 
now  arfter  we  licv  fought  fo'  years  to  give  'em 
lib'ty,  they  'buse  us.  Thet's  what  I  call  ingrat- 
itude." 

"That  might  be  called  black  ingratitude,"  sug- 
gested Manning  Lewis.  But  the  sarcasm  never 
penetrated  the  mail  of  malice  and  egotism  which 
enrobed  the  new  government. 


X 

Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice 

THE  triumphal  entry  into  Kosciusko  of  Captain 
Jonas  Smith  and  posse  with  their  prisoners 
was  accomplislied  with  more  than  a  smack  of  classic 
pomp  and  glory.  Its  barbaric  splendor  would 
have  been  complete,  only  the  victims  had  not  that 
miserable  and  terrified  look  ascribed  to  them  in 
the  history  of  like  brutal  events  in  pagan  Rome. 
But  the  indifference  of  the  young  men  abated  not 
one  jot  the  blazing  exultation  of  the  officers. 

The  conquering  hero  led  the  solemn  procession 
over  the  rickety  bridge,  battered  and  blood-stained 
in  honest  battle,  up  a  street,  down  a  lane,  and 
with  a  grand  flourish  into  via  sacra.,  toward  the 
court-house.  His  husky  valor  flashed  from  every 
feature;  dominion  sat  majestically  on  his  two 
dumpy  shoulders. 

The  populace,  mostly  negroes  who  had  deserted 
their  masters  after  the  issuance  of  the  Emancipa- 
tion Proclamation,  gaped  lazily  from  cabins  or  in 
knots  along  the  wayside,  with  inadequate  appre- 
ciation of  the  grandeur  of  the  occasion.  One  of 
the  group  standing  at  the  entrance  to  an  alley, 
along  which  was  ranged  a  line  of  negro  cabins, 
broke  out  with :  — 

' '  De  marster  run,  ha,  ha, 
De  darky  stay,  ho,  ho." 

But  he  was  frowned  into  silence  by  the  uncertain, 
enquiring  look  on  the  faces  of  his  companions. 


(02  (n  THE  Wake  OF  War 

The  black  man  had  not  yet  been  taught  that  the 
white  gentleman  of  the  South  was  his  mortal 
enemy.  He  knew  that  these  two  young  men  be- 
longed to  the  class  that  had  given  him  food,  cloth- 
ing, and  medicine  —  all  he  ever  had  wanted  or 
hoped  for;  that  their  persecutors  were  of  the  class 
that  had  beaten  and  sold  him.  He  was  then  at 
rest,  his  passions  were  asleep,  and  his  splendid 
philosophy  had  complete  possession  of  his  limited 
powers  of  thought.  This  and  other  like  exhibitions 
of  the  new  authority,  intended  to  bolster  his  confi- 
dence and  support,  brought  little  peace  to  his 
unimpassioned  meditations.  The  rule  of  his  old 
master,  even  the  rod  of  the  cruel  one,  was  a  con- 
dition with  which  he  was  familiar  and  could  cope; 
but  this  swelling  sovereignty  in  the  hands  of 
vicious  and  designing  men,  forbode  a  thousand 
possible  harms.  And  the  negro,  like  all  other 
people  superstitious  by  nature  and  bringing  up, 
will  endure  a  present  evil  rather  than  exchange  it 
for  an  indefinite  promise  of  future  good.  To  the 
superstitious  mind  there  are  no  terrors  like  those 
of  uncertainty. 

After  the  triumph  of  the  victors  had  been  suffi- 
ciently paraded,  the  vanquished  were  carried  to 
the  capitol  for  sacrifice.  This  was  set  to  take 
place  in  the  office  of  N.  Lex  Witan,  magistrate, 
acting  judge  of  criminal  cases,  who  awaited  with 
impatience  his  turn  in  the  humiliating  proceed- 
ings. In  common  with  nearly  all  civil  officers  of 
the  time,  he  usurped  authority  and  assumed  dig- 
nity double  what  the  wretched  laws  bestowed. 
Not  content  with  such  an  office  as  a  justice  of  the 
peace  usually  occupied,  he  had  taken   possession 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice         (03 


of  the  court  room,  and  there  enthroned  himself  in 
the  seat  of  the  Judge  of  the  Circuit  Court.  Here 
justice  of  his  own  peculiar  kind  could  be  dis- 
pensed before  large  and  appreciative  audiences, 
to  the  terror  of  violators  and  the  renown  of  the 
court.  For,  thought  he:  "What  fame  is  there  in 
star-chamber  justice  ?  " 

The  spacious  room  was  filled  with  a  freckled 
crowd  of  negroes  and  shiftless  whites,  when  How- 
ard Grayson  and  Manning  Lewis  were  brought  in. 

All  this  marching  and  counter-marching  had 
consumed  so  much  time  that  Major  Lewis  was 
only  a  few  moments  behind  the  procession  when 
it  reached  the  court-house.  As  he  rode  up,  a 
negro  stepped  quickly  out  from  a  group  at  the 
door  and  took  his  horse's  bit  with  one  hand  and 
a  stirrup  with  the  other,  saying:  "  Evenin',  Mars 
Walker,  evenin',  suh;  lemme  help  yo'  'light." 

"Why,  good-evening,  Mose!  What  are  you 
doing  here?" 

"  I 's  hyear  to  tell  yo'  thet  I 's  gittin'  monst'ous 
tired  of  dis  lib'ty  they-all  's  talkin'  'bout,  an'  I 's 
comin'  back  to  wuck, ' '  said  Mose. 

"I  don't  want  you,  Mose.  You  were  the  most 
trifling  buzzard  I  ever  had  about  me;  never  did 
earn  a  peck  of  meal  a  week.  I  was  mighty  glad 
to  get  shut  of  you. ' ' 

"I  knows  I  was  lazy.  Mars  Walker,  but  'twas 
'case  yo'  secli  a  kin'  marster.  I  wucks  good,  I 
will,  if  yo'  only  lemme  come.  Caint  I  come. 
Mars  Walker?"  pleaded  the  negro,  with  pre- 
tended pathos. 

"I  would  n't  have  such  a  no-account  cuss  about 


104  In  the  Wake  of  War 


me  again,"  said  the  Major  bluffly,  but  apparently 
relenting.  "Hold  ray  horse  a  few  minutes,  while 
I  attend  to  some  business  with  Squire  What's-his- 
name. " 

As  Major  Lewis  entered  the  court-room,  the 
magistrate  asked  the  "prisoners  at  the  bar"  the 
question  usually  reserved  for  the  trial:  "Guilty  or 
not  guilty? " 

"Not  guilty,"  both  answered,  confidently. 

"Not  guilty?"  the  judge  asked,  peevishly. 
"Hit  ruther  looks  like  a  clare  case,  young  gentle- 
men. The  Cote  advises  yo'  to  plead  guilty  an' 
pay  yore  tines,  or  go  to  jail  like  gentlemen.  Hit 
looks,  in  reason,  thet  yo'  air  guilty." 

"But,  your  honor,  perhaps  not  guilty  in  the 
manner  and  form  charged,"  said  Major  Lewis. 

"The  Cote  is  not  bounden  to  hear  outside  argu- 
ment at  this  time,  Major  Lewis;  besides  hit  is  not 
a  question  of  manner  an'  fo'm.  I  ask  theni  pris- 
oners at  the  bar  of  this  Cote,  '  Guilty  or  not 
guilty,'  meanin',  in  reason,  air  they  guilty  of 
wearin'  the  Rebel  unifo'm  in  time  of  peace,  an' 
they  both  answers  the  Cote,  '  Not  guilty. '  Is  this 
Cote  bline?  Doan  this  Cote  recognize  Rebel 
clothes  when  hit  sees  'em?  In  reason,  hit  do. 
Then  the  prisoners  air  guilty,  an'  the  Cote  caint 
listen  to  no  sech  a  plea.  Hain't  thet  law?  In 
reason,  hit  is,"  answered  the  great  man, with  be- 
coming official  dignity. 

"If  the  court  will  allow  me  to  suggest," 
continued  Major  Lewis,  with  unwonted  patience, 
'  '■  this  is  not  a  felony  charge,  only  a  misdemeanor. 
Should  the  young  men  be  convicted,  upon  trial  by 
a  jury  of  their  peers,   the  court   could  impose  a 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice        105 

fine,  nothing  more.  Am  I  not  right,  your  honor  ? 
That  being  the  case,  they  are  entitled  to  be 
released  from  the  custody  of  these  officers  upon 
making  bail-bond  to  appear  for  trial  at  such  future 
day  as  the  court  shall  appoint.  Am  I  not  right 
again,  your  honor?"  The  austerity  of  the  judge 
began  to  break  away  before  the  arguments  and 
courtesy  of  the  Major,  and  he  moved  uneasily  on 
the  bench,  and  struggled  hard  to  make  his  dull 
features  look  wise.  Finally,  he  took  from  a  shelf 
a  huge  volume  labelled,  "Laws  of  Tennessee," 
which  he  threw  open  before  him  with  careless 
familiarity.  This  act  spread  a  shower  of  dust, 
the  accumulation  of  weeks,  for  the  court  seldom 
had  need  to  refresh  his  knowledge  by  reference 
to  books.  He  ran  hastily  up  and  down  several 
pages  of  index,  muttering  solemnly  to  himself  ; 
then  opening  it  at  random  he  wrinkled  his  brow, 
squinted  his  eyes  and  pursed  his  mouth  over  the 
first  page  exposed.  Throwing  back  his  head,  he 
gazed  into  the  dangling  array  of  antique  cobwebs 
that  decorated  the  ceiling,  and  studied  attentively 
their  endless  convolutions.  The  struggle  was 
long  and  herculean,  and  he  seemed  several  times 
on  the  point  of  agreeing  with  the  Major,  perhaps 
as  the  easiest  escape  from  mental  toil;  when,  with 
a  start,  he  plunged  an  unwashed  hand  into  a  mys- 
terious rent  in  his  coat-lining  and  drew  forth  a 
small  packet.  He  unwound  the  paper  wrappings 
and  disclosed  a  letter  bearing  the  stamp  of  the 
Chief  Executive  of  the  State.  It  contained  his 
instructions  for  this  class  of  cases,  direct  from  the 
Governor.  After  reading,  or  pretending  to  read 
it,   he  called  Sheriff   Smith  to  his  side  and  held 


106  In  the  Wake  of  War 


a  whispered  consultation,  nodding  frequently  in 
token  of  approval.  The  crowd  watched  with  close 
attention  all  these  manifestations  of  wisdom ;  and, 
when  the  great  man  had  dismissed  the  sheriff  with 
a  wave  of  the  hand  and  had  looked  straight  before 
him  into  space  a  few  moments,  his  countenance 
turgid  with  conviction  and  perspiration,  there  was 
a  perceptible  murmur  of  relief  and  satisfaction. 

' '  Wall,  thet  is  a  mighty  big  question  an'  the 
Cote  finds  the  law  about  as  yo'  hev  stated,  Major 
Lewis;  yas,  yas,  hit  is  a  well-known  principle  of 
law;  the  Cote  was  about  to  define  hit,  only  in 
mo'  judicious  language,  of  co'se.  The  gentlemen 
air  entitled  to  bail-bond.       Who  '11  make  hit  ?  " 

'  •  I  will  become  their  surety,  if  your  honor  will 
name  the  amount,"  said  Major  Lewis. 

"The  Cote  jedges  thet  between  man  an'  man, 
about  three  thousan'  dollars  in  each  case  the  right 
amount." 

"Isn't  that  pretty  steep,  your  honor?"  asked 
Major  Lewis.  "What  is  the  limit  of  the  fine 
which  the  court  is  entitled  to  assess  in  case  of  con- 
viction? Ought  that  not  to  govern  the  matter  of 
bail  somewhat  ?  " 

"No,  no,  in  reason,  no.  Thet's  not  the  law, 
not  the  law.  The  Cote  hev  'lowed  yo'  too  much 
lib'ty  of  speech.  Major  Lewis.  Bail  is  fixed  at 
three  thousan'  dollars  in  each  case." 

"Prepare  the  bond,  if  it  please  the  court.  I 
will  sign  and  qualify,"  said  the  Major,  abandon- 
ing all  hope  of  a  reasonable  hearing. 

The  magistrate,  who  had  much  ado  to  sign  his 
name  or  to  read  others'  handwriting,  instructed 
his  clerk  to  prepare  the  bond. 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice        107 

While  this  controversy  was  going  on,  the  ex- 
pression on  the  faces  of  the  crowd  changed  with 
the  varying  fortunes  of  the  young  men.  The 
whites,  who  belonged  to  that  worthless  class  that 
had  always  held  the  respectable  element  in  envy, 
smiled  when  the  court  was  austere,  and  frowned 
when  it  showed  signs  of  relenting.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  negroes,  although  they  understood  little 
of  the  proceedings,  showed  plainly  their  sympathy 
for  the  captives,  and  grinned  witli  satisfaction  when 
Major  Lewis  confounded  the  court  with  simple 
questions.  Had  these  ignorant  negroes  under- 
stood the  unnecessary  and  vicious  humiliation  be- 
ing heaped  upon  the  young  gentlemen,  they  might 
have  mutinied,  and  this  history  might  not  have 
been  further  enacted.  So  it  was  all  over  the 
South.  The  security  of  the  new  government  in 
the  practice  of  all  its  outrages,  lay  in  the  ignor- 
ance of  the  black  man. 

After  the  clerk  had  scratched  and  scrawled  for 
an  immoderate  length  of  time  he  placed  the  writ- 
ten documents  on  the  desk  before  the  judge,  who 
gave  them  a  satisfied  glance  and  a  series  of  ap- 
proving nods. 

"The  documents  is  ready.  Major  Lewis;  ac- 
cordin'  to  law  yo'  hev  to  qualify  on  yore  oath." 

"  I  am  ready,  please  the  court;  administer  the 
oath." 

Then  with  a  look  of  dull  malice  on  his  face  the 
justice  held  out  the  moth-eaten  old  Bible  and  said: 
"Do  yo'  solemnly  swear  thet  yo'  air  the  owner  of 
property,  subjec'  to  execution  an'  free  from  incum- 
brance, wu'th  six  thousan'  dollars,  within  the 
County  of  Williams  an'  State  of  Tennessee?" 


108  In  the  Wake  of  War 


"  I  do,"  answered  the  Major,  bending  forward 
to  kiss  the  big  Book. 

"HoP  on  thar.  Major,  hoi'  on;  the  Cote  is  not 
through  yit, "  and  reading  with  great  labor,  word 
by  word,  from  the  Governor's  letter,  he  contin- 
ued: "Do  yo'  farther  solemnly  swear  thet  yo' 
air  an'  hev  been  a  active  frien'  of  the  Gover'ment 
of  the  United  States,  a  enemy  of  the  so-called 
Confederate  States  of  America,  thet  yo'  ar-dent-ly 
desired  the  sup-pres-sion  of  the  rebellion  against 
the  United  States,  an'  thet  yo'  re-joi-ced  in  the 
ov-er-throw  of  said  pre-ten-ded  Confederacy,  so 
help  yo'  Gawd?" 

For  once  in  his  life  Major  Lewis  displayed  the 
weakness  of  surprise,  which  quickly  changed  to  a 
look  of  inexpressible   disgust. 

"  You  have  known  me  more  than  twenty  years. 
Lex  Witan,  and  in  all  that  time  have  you  heard 
anything  of  me  that  would  lead  you  to  suppose 
that  I  would  make  that  oath  ?  " 

"No  insult  intended,  Major,  no  insult  in- 
tended. The  Cote  was  followin'  instructions. 
Thar  they  be,"  and  the  magistrate  handed  out  the 
Governor's  letter  to  supporfhis  position. 

"  I  don't  care  for  your  instructions.  You  know 
my  record  during  the  late  war  as  well  as  I  know 
yours.  Had  it  not  been  for  infirmities  received 
in  maintaining  the  honor  of  this  country  in  the 
Mexican  invasion,  you  know  I  would  have  been 
in  the  army  the  States;  but  being  incapable  of 
military  duty  I  served  my  people  in  another  way. 
I  did  not  shout  for  secession  and  then  skulk  until 
such  time  as  I  could  turn  my  coat  to  serve  my 
personal  advantage.     I  can  not  take  your  oath." 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice         109 

"  As  I  said  afo',  the  Cote  meant  no  pussonal 
insult;  hit  only  followed  instructions.  In  this 
Cote,  Major,  all  is  sarved  alike — the  rich  an'  the 
pore,  the  black  an'  the  white,  the  high  an'  the 
low — accordin'  to  law  an'  instructions.  Ac- 
cordin'  to  law  yo'  hev  property,  but  accordin'  to 
instructions  yo'  air  not  able  to  take  the  oath;  so, 
in  reason,  the  Cote  caint  take  yo'  as  bondsman. 
Hev  the  prisoners  at  the  — ' ' 

"These  young  gentlemen  are  not  prisoners  at 
the  bar  of  this  so-called  court,"  broke  in  the 
Major,  vehemently.  ' '  They  are  not  arrested  on  any 
warrant;  they  are  not  criminals.  They  surren- 
dered and  came  here  voluntarily,  because  they  did 
not  want  to  resist  the  officers  of  the  law.  Now 
they  will  give  bail,  and  if  I  am  disqualified  by 
reason  of  my  services  to  what  I  thought  were  the 
rights  and  interests  of  my  people,  I  think  I  can 
get  one  who  will  be  acceptable  to  the  court,  under 
its  instructions.     You  will  give  me  a  little  time  ?  " 

"The  Cote  hev  other  cases  to  hear  this  evenin', 
Major,  an'  would  like  to  git  shet  of  this,  'gainst 
takin'  'em  up,"  answered  the  man  of  instructions. 
In  all  his  career  as  backwoods  justice  and  all- 
round  man  without  affairs.  Lex  Witan  was  never 
before  known  to  be  in  a  hurry. 

' '  I  will  return  directly  and  advise  you  whether 
or  not  we  can  make  the  bond,"  said  the  Major. 
Then  turning  to  Howard  he  continued;  "While 
I'm  away,  Captain,  you  and  Manning  remain  at 
the  '  ba'  of  this  Cote'  as  patiently  as  possible." 

Major  Lewis  hastened  from  the  court  room, 
mounted  at  the  door,  asked  Mose  to  wait  there 
for  his  return,  and  putting  spur  to  the  old  horse, 


no  In  the  Wake  of  War 

rode  with  all  possible  speed  to  the  house  of  his 
old  friend,  Anton  Nelson.  He  found  Mr.  Nel- 
son at  work  in  the  garden,  and  without  stopping 
to  dismount,  called  to  him:  "How-dy,  Anton, 
come  out  here,  please.  I  want  to  make  use  of 
your  friendship  and  politics." 

"  Good-evening,  Walker.  Can't  you  get  down 
and  come  in  ?  I  have  not  seen  you  since  you  got 
back  from  the  last  session  of  your  Congress. 
What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  ' ' 

Major  Lewis  dismounted  and  they  started  to 
walk  toward  the  court-house. 

"Oh,  it's  that  damned  scoundrel  Jonas  Smith 
and  his  vagabond  crowd  !  They-all  came  by 
Elmington  where  we  were  sitting  out  under  the 
trees  in  a  very  happy  reunion,  and  arrested  How- 
ard Grayson  and  my  son  and  carried  them  over 
here,  and  are  about  to  land  them  in  jail.  What 
for  ?  Simply  because  the  boys  have  no  clothes  to 
wear  except  their  old  uniforms.  I  came  in  to 
sign  their  bail-bond,  and  what  do  you  reckon  that 
damned  old  fool,  Witan,  did  ?  Excuse  my  lan- 
guage, Anton;  I  'm  only  trying  to  give  you  an 
idea  of  the  folly  of  the  case.  Of  course  you 
can't  guess!  He  refused  to  let  me  sign  those 
bonds  because  I  can't  take  a  sort  of  test  oath; 
that  is,  an  oath  that  I  rejoiced  at  the  downfall  of 
the  Confederacy,  and  a  lot  more  of  such  stuff." 

' '  He  knew  that  you  were  too  honorable  to  make 
such  an  oath,  and  why  did  he  not  tell  you  in  the 
first  place  that  his  instructions  required  it  of 
bondsmen  ?  No,  no,  those  boys  can't  go  to  jail 
for  any  such  trivial  offense." 

"  Exactly  so,  but  they  are  threatened  with  just 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice         III 

that  humiliation,"  said  the  Major,  "  if  I  have  not 
friends  enough  in  the  Union  party  to  sign  for 
them." 

"You  have  as  many  friends  to-day,  Walker 
Lewis,  as  ever.  These  ignorant,  dictatorial  fel- 
lows who  have  come  to  power  and  influence  so 
suddenly  never  were  your  friends;  they  always 
hated  a  gentleman.  You  and  I  never  did  agree 
on  the  proposition.  Union  or  Secession,  but  I 
never  questioned  your  sincerity  of  belief  or  integ- 
rity of  purpose,  and  this  opportunity  to  prove  it 
gives  me  particular  pleasure.  At  what  amount 
did  they  fix  the  bond  for  this  silly  offense  ?  " 

"  At  the  ridiculous  figure  of  three  thousand 
dollars,"  answered  the  Major,  with  appropriate 
disgust. 

"Three  thousand  dollars!  How  foolish,  yes 
more,  how  foolishly  malicious.  You  know. 
Walker,  that  the  better  element  of  the  Union 
men  in  the  South  does  not  approve  of  such 
methods,  but  we  are  powerless.  These  creatures 
outnumber  and  over-ride  us.  Then,  too,  they 
are  more  useful  to  some  of  the  high  State  officials, 
who,  I  fear,  are  both  malicious  and  designing. 
They-all  have  little  more  regard  for  me  than  they 
have  for  you.  It  seems  to  suit  them  best  to  be 
making  a  fight  on  personal  decency.  Among 
themselves,  '  down  with  the  aristocracy '  is  quite 
a  watchword.  They  will  soon  overthrow  them- 
selves —  such  methods  can  not  long  prevail  —  and 
then  I  hope  we  shall  get  affairs  into  better  hands." 

Anton  Nelson,  a  Whig  before  the  formation  of 
the  Republican  party,  had  been  always  an  intense 
Union  man;  yet  so  sincere  were  his  convictions 


112  In  the  Wake  of  War 


and  so  upright  had  been  his  life,  that  his  most 
bitter  political  antagonist  respected  him.  Only 
once  during  the  heat  of  debate  and  agitation  that 
preceded  hostilities  had  he  been  insulted  because 
of  his  stand;  and  that  was  by  a  worthless  crowd 
of  the  Jonas  Smith  stripe.  This  was  promptly 
avenged  by  his  personal  friends  and  neighbors  of 
the  secession  party.  When  armies  were  mustered, 
he  left  his  family  in  his  own  house  at  Kosciusko, 
went  to  East  Tennessee,  joined  the  Federal  forces 
as  a  common  soldier  and  served  well  until  per- 
manently disabled   by  a  wound. 

Like  every  man  who  has  brains  enough  to 
harbor  convictions  and  the  personal  courage  to 
stand  for  them,  he  was  the  friend  of  every  honest 
soldier.  Partisanship  has  no  place  in  the  wonder- 
ful free-masonry  of  the  brave. 

Contrary  to  the  expectations  of  Mr.  Nelson,  his 
suggestions  were  received  by  the  mighty  judge 
with  cringing  servility.  Bail  was  reduced  from 
three  thousand  to  one  hundred  dollars  in  each 
case,  without  other  parley  than:  "Jest  as  yo' 
thinks  best,  Mr.  Nelson,  as  yo'  thinks  best.  The 
Cote  aims  to  make  hit  big  enough  so  they  won't 
jump  the  bond.  But  yo',  bein'  of  our  party,  air 
entitled  to  a  leetle  better  terms." 

' '  I  am  a  member  of  the  Union  party,  Squire 
Witan,  but  not  of  the  party  that  makes  such  foolish 
arrests  as  this  one,  and  names  such  outrageous 
bond  as  three  thousand  dollars  when  a  hundred  is 
almost  exorbitant,"  replied  Mr.  Nelson.  "Such 
acts  as  these  will  bring  the  Union  party  into  con- 
tempt with  the  very  people  who  otherwise  would 
come  to  our  support." 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice        113 

"Jest  sign  the  bond  right  here,  Captain  Nelson, 
right  here.  On  the  line,  near  the  bottom,  Captain 
Nelson,  Oh,  yo'  doan  hev  to  swear  'bout  hit, 
Captain  Nelson,"  jabbered  the  magistrate,  who 
feared  a  further  lecture  on  the  subject  in  hand. 
He  felt  his  dignity  would  be  forever  undone,  if 
this  harangue  should  continue  in  the  presence  of 
all  the  multitude.  But  for  all  this  official  anxiety, 
Mr.  Nelson  did  not  sign  the  bond  until  he  had 
read  it  carefully  and  suggested  several  changes, 
mainly  to  correct  the  absurd  spelling  of  common- 
place words. 

"Now,  administer  the  oath,"  said  he. 

"  Yo'  doan  hev  to  swear,  Cunnel  Nelson,"  said 
the  justice,  in  such  confusion  that  he  advanced 
Mr.  Nelson  clean  over  the  ranks  of  major  and 
lieutenant-colonel  in  less  than  three  minutes. 

"In  the  first  place.  Lex  Witan,  I  am  not 
Captain  Nelson;  in  the  second  place,  I  am  not 
Colonel  Nelson;  but  plain  Anton  Nelson,  or  Mr. 
Nelson,  or  Private  Nelson,  as  is  most  convenient 
for  you.  And  in  the  third  place,  I  want  to  be 
treated  like  my  old-time  friend,  Major  Lewis,  was 
treated;  administer  all  the  oaths  you  deem  neces- 
sary to  perfect  security  in  this  case." 

"Certainly,  Major  —  Cunnel  ^ — Mr.  Nelson. 
Do  yo'  solemnly  swear  thet  yo'  will  support  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States,  the  constitution 
of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  an'  the  constitution  of 
the  Union  League  of  America,  an'  nerr  reveal  hits 
secrets,  so  help  yo'  Gawd  'i " 

' '  So  far  as  all  those  constitutions  and  secrets 
have  to  do  with  bail-bonds,  I  swear,"  answered 
Mr.  Nelson,  with  infinite  disgust.     A  snicker  or 


114  In  the  Wake  of  War 

two  from  the  audience  apprised  the  justice  of  Ids 
blunder,  and  his  confusion  doubled,  for  he  held 
out  the  Governor's  letter  of  instructions  instead 
of  the  Bible,  and  said,  with  perfect  gravity :  "Kiss 
the  Book." 

Mr.  Nelson  did  not  kiss  the  letter,  but  in  clear 
desperation  grasped  the  pen  and  signed  the  bonds 
without  further  to-do,  and  then  led  the  way  out  of 
the  court  room. 

Major  Lewis,  whose  sense  of  sacrilege  was  not 
touched  by  the  blundering  substitution,  roared 
with  laughter  and  apologized  in  the  same  breath 
to  Mr,  Nelson  for  adding  to  his  embarrassment. 

' '  What  are  we  to  do,  Walker,  with  such  officers 
in  power?"  asked  Mr.  Nelson. 

' '  It  seems  to  be  easy  for  you,  but  what  would 
we  poor  Rebels  do  if  we  had  no  friend  like  Anton 
Nelson  to  stand  godfather  to  us  in  trouble  ?  I 
can't  express  my  gratitude  for  this  friendly  act." 

Howard  and  Manning  both  started  in  to  deliver 
little  speeches  but  their  benefactor  cut  them  off 
abruptly: — 

"Hold  up,  please!  Excuse  me  for  interrupt- 
ing two  gentlemen  at  once,-  but  I  am  no  hero. 
I'm  already  thanked  beyond  the  worth  of  my 
services.  You-all  are  bound  to  leave  me  in  debt 
by  your  courtesy.  If  you  young  gentlemen  had 
to  be  arrested,  it  was  a  very  happy  fate  that 
plucked  me  out  of  my  garden  with  the  cry,  '  You 
have  friends  in  trouble.'  So  you  see,  I  am  the 
only  person  who  has  got  any  real,  substantial 
glory  out  of  this  infamous  business.  I  need  no 
thanks.  Besides,  this  little  matter  is  less  than 
nothing  compared  to  what  I  have  felt  at  liberty 


Wherein  Instructions  Season  Justice         115 

to  ask  from  Colonel  Grayson  or  Major  Lewis  any 
day  for  thirty  years." 

<'But  that  should  not  abate  our  gratitude,  and 
if  you  won't  let  me  try  to  express  my  feelings,  I 
shall  hurry  home  and  tell  father  all  you  have  done 
for  us,  and  I  shall  not  fail  to  mention  your  per- 
verse modesty  —  if  you  will  excuse  the  adjective," 
said  Howard. 

"Come  back  to  the  house  and  get  a  snack  to 
eat,  and  after  a  smoke  take  my  old  horse  to  help 
you  home.  Perhaps  Mrs.  Nelson  will  hunt  out 
some  clothing  for  you  to  wear  until  you  can  better 
provide  yourselves. ' ' 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Nelson,  but  if  you  can  lend 
us  two  good  muskets  and  a  dozen  rounds  of 
ammunition,  you  will  do  us  greater  service,"  said 
Manning  Lewis. 

"No,  Manning,  Mr.  Nelson's  offer  is  more 
sensible  for  now,"  said  Major  Lewis,  thought- 
fully. ' '  Wo  are  too  weak  in  numbers  to  be 
drawn  into  a  conflict  with  these  usurpers  of  bad 
authority.  If  their  violence  is  continued,  we 
must  find  means  to  meet  it  with,  but  we  can  not 
do  it  single-handed.  I  did  not  agree,  on  first 
thought,  with  Colonel  Grayson,  when  he  advised 
surrender  to  Jonas  Smith,  but  now  I  see  the  wis- 
dom of  his    course.     What   say  you,  Captain  ?  " 

"  I  will  not  contradict  you  and  Mr.  Nelson  and 
father  as  to  the  best  course,  but  I  wish  Manning 
and  I  each  had  a  musket,"  said  Howard.  "It 
might    come  in  handy  one  of   these  evil  days." 

"  I  don't  reckon  you  will  be  interfered  with 
any  more,"  said  Mr.  Nelson,  "especially  for 
such  trumped-up  charges," 


il6  In  the  Wake  of  War 

The  snack  had  been  eaten,  and  the  young  men, 
mounted  double  on  the  borrowed  horse,  had 
taken  leave  and  were  riding  away,  when  Mr. 
Nelson  called  after  them:  — 

"When  eulogizing  me  to  Colonel  Grayson, 
just  add,  that  as  I  have  found  my  influence  so 
strong  with  the  administration,  your  cases  may 
never  come  up  for  trial.  Can't  tell,  of  course, 
but  that  is  possible." 


XI 

One  of  a  Type  Almost  Extinct 

AFTEK  Pleas  had  done  a  few  trifling  jobs  he 
became  absorbed  in  solicitude  for  his  young 
master.  He  upbraided  himself  for  having  receded 
from  his  original  purpose  to  go  along  with  the 
officers.  He  could  not  work;  in  all  that  sea  of 
havoc  he  could  find  nothing  that  needed  to  be 
done.  Time  moved  so  slowly,  and  anxiety  swelled 
so  rapidly  within  him  that  he  found  on  calculation 
he  could  not  contain  his  forebodings  single-handed 
until  Howard's  return,  so  he  posted  off  through 
the  fields  to  tell  his  troubles  to  Uncle  Phil  and 
Aunt  Manda. 

He  never  had  liked  very  well  these  two  old  per- 
sons. Uncle  Phil  was  forever  preaching,  which 
bored  him  insufferably,  for  he  wanted  no  other 
religion  than  that  of  his  young  master,  which  was 
more  liberal  in  sort  than  the  "hardshell"  pre- 
cepts of  the  old  man.  And  Aunt  Manda,  who 
had  been  Howard's  nurse,  still  chose  to  exercise 
more  proprietorship,  and  practice  more  dictation 
over  him  than  Pleas  thought  was  profitable,  espe- 
cially from  a  woman.  He  did  not  love  to  think 
that  any  one,  save  perhaps  Colonel  Grayson,  had 
the  right  to  correct  or  control  his  young  master; 
and  the  privilege  of  mild  admonition,  by  means  of 
timely  suggestions,  he  reserved  to  himself  alone. 
But  now  he  was  in  trouble,  and  like  many  a  man 
of  less  courage  and  more  learning,  he  sped 
straight  for  the  nearest  preacher. 


118  In  the  Wake  of  War 


Aunt  Manda  saw  him  approaching  and  cried: — 

"  Whar  yo'  young  marster  at,  whar  meh  baby? 
Doan  yo'  brung  'im  home  ?     Whar  is  he  ?  " 

"He  come  home  with  me  las'  night;  he  all 
well.     Ole  Pleas  brung  him  home  all  right." 

"Bless  de  Lawd !  Bless  meh  baby!"  And 
she  called  to  Uncle  Phil:  "  Come  hyear,  ole  man, 
Mars  Howard  home." 

"Doan  I  tell  yo'  I  hed  a  veesion  las'  night? 
De  Lawd  show  me  Mars  Howard  jes'  as  plain, 
Doan  I  tell  yo'  dis  mawnin',  Manda?"  said 
Uncle  Phil,  as  he  hobbled  out  of  the  cabin. 

"  Yas,  yo'  'lowed  yo'  seen  'im,  an'  yo'  reckon' 
he  daid,  case  he  come  to  yo'  in  de  veesion,  yo' 
ole  preachin'  fool,"  answered  Aunt  Manda,  who 
had  little  reverence  for  the  cloth  outside  the 
pulpit. 

"Oh,  I  said  dat  jes'  to  pesterize  yo\  Manda," 
said  Uncle  Phil,  with  masculine  superiority.  "I 
nerr  reckon'  Mars  Howard  shu'  'nough  daid." 

But  Aunt  Manda  grew  suddenly  serious,  and 
turning  quickly  to  Pleas,  said:  "  Look-a-hyear, 
nigger,  suthin'  wrong.  Why  doan  Mars  Howard 
come  an'  see  ole  Mammy?  " 

Pleas  was  clearly  taken  by  surprise  on  this 
question,  but  quickly  rallied  and  explained,  with 
all  necessary  invention,  how  his  young  master  in- 
tended to  come  back  to  see  them  the  first  thing  in 
the  morning,  but  that  matters  of  business  had 
very  suddenly  called  him  and  Mr.  Manning  to 
Kosciusko. 

"Business  teck  err  one  our  folks  to  Kosciusko 
'fo'  he  show  'spects  to  ole  Mammy!  Naw,  suh, 
Pleas,  yo'  caint  lie  to  dis  ole  nigger.    Come  'long 


One  of  a  Type  Almost  Extinct  119 

ole  man,  git  yo'  ready.  We  goan  down  to  de  gret 
house  an'  see  'bout  dis  business.  Dare  's  suthin' 
wrong  'bout  hit. ' '  And  the  old  people  disappeared 
in  the  cabin. 

The  house  occupied  by  Uncle  Phil  and  Aunt 
JVIanda  was  above  the  average  negro  cabin.  It 
stood  back  full  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
quarters,  upon  the  rise  of  a  round-faced  knoll, 
about  one  cheek  of  which  flowed  the  waters  of 
Opal  creek.  The  location  was  selected  by  the  old 
man  a  half  century  before  this  history  begins, 
while  he  was  yet  in  the  vigor  of  his  priesthood, 
because  of  the  deep  pool  in  the  creek  which  served 
for  baptizings  and  foot-washings,  ceremonies  in 
which  he  had  unbounded  faith.  And  as  neither 
his  religious  zeal  nor  his  love  of  ceremonies 
abated  with  advancing  age,  this  choice  seemed 
little  short  of  prescience;  for  the  frequency  with 
which  he  "went  down  into  the  water,"  regardless 
of  weather  or  of  his  own  infirmities,  would  have 
taxed  a  younger  and  warmer-blooded  constitution, 
had  not  a  roaring  fire  or  a  change  of  clothing 
awaited  near  at  hand. 

Here  the  pioneer  Grayson  had  enclosed  about 
two  acres  of  land  and  built  a  cabin  full  twice  as 
large  as  any  of  those  occupied  by  ordinary  slaves, 
and  had  installed  Uncle  Phil  as  lord  of  the  manor. 
And  each  succeeding  Grayson  had  recognized  and 
remembered  the  rights  of  the  old  man  in  such 
substantial  form,  that  if  the  plantation  had  passed 
out  of  the  family  Uncle  Phil  could  have  remained 
a  free  man  and  a  land  owner.  So  his  seigniority 
was  fixed  and  unquestioned  until  he  took  his  third 
wife,  Aunt  Manda,  when  suddenly  he  found  him- 


120  In  the  Wake  of  War 

self  shorn  of  six-sevenths  of  his  dominion.  But 
as  he  was  old  and  feeble,  and  preferred  emancipa- 
tion from  material  affairs,  he  was  quite  content 
with  the  seventh-day  reign.  He  gave  all  his  time 
to  matters  spiritual,  and  in  the  proportion  that  his 
glory  smouldered  through  the  week,  it  blazed  in 
seven-fold  splendor  on  Sunday,  when  the  old  pul- 
pit was  dragged  from  behind  curtains  that  shut  it 
in  like  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  in  the  temple  of 
old,  and  benches  were  placed  in  the  cabin,  and 
Uncle  Phil  defied  age  and  infirmity  and  the  Devil 
in  his  regular  two  hours  of  preaching.  Here  all 
the  negroes  of  the  neighborhood  had  been  used  to 
collect  of  a  Sunday  afternoon;  and  so  famous  was 
the  piety  of  the  old  man,  that  he  usually  counted 
a  few  white  faces  in  his  congregation. 

The  back  yard  had  been  planted  to  orchard 
when  the  cabin  was  built,  and  now  yielded  fruit 
beyond  the  needs  of  the  occupants.  The  front 
was  used  for  a  garden.  This  had  been  maintained 
by  hands  from  the  quarters,  since  Uncle  Phil  had 
become  too  old  to  tend  it.  And  now  that  the 
negroes  had  left  the  plantation,  this,  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  the  place,  was  taken  with  weeds. 
The  elevation  commanded  a  raking  view  of  the 
whole  place,  and  as  Pleas  waited  for  the  old  peo- 
ple to  arrange  toilets  he  cast  his  eye  over  the  pano- 
rama of  destruction,  and  for  a  moment  forgot  his 
troubles  and  fell  into  a  reverie:  "  Dis  sutnly  is 
shamefu';  de  tine  s'  plantation  in  de  wurP,  I 
reckon,  gone  t'  smash!  De  niggers  all  runned 
'way,  when  we  mos'  needs  'em.  Dey  needs  a- 
beatin',  dat's  what  dey  needs.  Dey  doan  need 
no  lib'ty.     But  Mars  Rodeny  nerr  did  beat  'em. 


One  of  a  Type  Almost  Ext[nct  121 


an'  dey  won'  do  no  good  'thout  beatin'.      Dey  as 
well  go  fo'   lib'ty." 

He  was  interrupted  here  by  the  appearance  of 
the  old  people,  decked  out  in  Sunday  raiment, 
Aunt  Manda's  ponderous  form  encased  in  her  red 
and  yellow  calico,  and  Uncle  Phil  in  clerical 
■  black,  with  his  funeral  silk  hat  on  —  by  odds  the 
best  clothing  on  the  plantation. 

To  this  point  the  result  of  Pleas' s  visit  had  been 
unsatisfactory,  and  the  probabilities  all  read: 
"Cloudy  and  threatening,  with  thunder  and  light- 
ning possible  at  any  moment."  He  had  started 
out  with  the  full  purpose  of  tolling  them  of  the 
outrage  perpetrated  by  Jonas  Smith  and  posse, 
but  the  sight  of  Aunt  Manda  with  all  her  bluster 
forbade  the  subject.  There  are  characters  so 
belligerent  as  to  make  terrible  the  very  mention 
of  trouble.  He  then  had  made  mental  shift  to 
kill  time  in  recounting  the  real  and  imaginary  ex- 
ploits of  his  young  master  as  a  soldier.  But  the 
anxious  turn  in  Aunt  Manda  had  stopped  this 
prospective  vent.  So  now  he  was  left  without 
alternative.  He  had  to  walk  back  sullenly  over 
the  ground  by  which  he  had  come,  and  listen  to 
the  brow-beating  of  an  old  fat  negro  woman,  as 
she  heaped  suspicion  and  abuse  upon  him,  and 
discredited  the  only  tale  he  had  been  allowed 
to  make.  In  vain  he  tried  to  turn  the  conver- 
sation to  the  field  of  glory.  Aunt  Manda  could 
not  make  room  in  her  mind  for  more  than  the 
one  absorbing  idea:  "Suthin'  wrong  'bout  meh 
baby."  Uncle  Phil  trudged  meekly  behind, 
mindful  that  his  call  to  speak  was  from  Above, 
and  that  without  the  sustaining  property  of  pulpit 


122  In  the  Wake  of  War 


and  Book,  his  feeble  voice  carried  no  conviction 
to  his  present  audience. 

When  Major  Lewis  and  the  two  young  men 
rode  up  to  Ehnington  to  begin  again  the  reunion, 
they  found  their  party  increased  in  numbers. 
Aunt  Manda  waited  for  no  ceremony.  Her  place 
was  first  by  all  custom  and  usage,  and  still  puffing 
and  perspiring  from  her  walk  she  rushed  out  to 
meet  them,  crying  hysterically:  — 

' '  De  Lawd  bless  meh  baby  !  Come  to  yo' 
Mammy  !     Come  kiss  yo'  Mammy  !  " 

And  Captain  Howard  Grayson,  the  hero  of 
many  a  charge,  the  gentleman  of  aristocratic  birth 
and  rearing,  the  young  man  of  petty  pride,  uncov- 
ered his  head  before  this  black  old  slave,  and 
kissed  with  honest  affection  her  streaming  cheeks. 
She  wept  on  his  shoulder,  she  patted  his  cheek, 
she  called  him  by  all  those  endearing  names  that 
only  a  negro  mammy  of  the  old  type  knew.  Her 
joy  was  complete. 

Uncle  Phil,  grave  and  serious,  stood  back,  hat 
in  hand,  awaiting  his  turn  in  the  proceedings.  He 
was  too  wise  to  interrupt.  When  at  last  there 
was  a  lull,  he  moved  confidently  forward,  ex- 
tended his  feeble  old  hand  and  said:  "Gawd 
bless  yo',  Mars  Howard  !  Yo'  ole  mammy  done 
been  monst'ous  mis'able  'bout  yo';  an'  Uncle 
Phil  he  pray  err  mawnin'  an'  night  an'  all  day, 
an'  all  night  when  de  mis'ry  in  hes  laig  kep'  him 
'wake,  dat  de  good  Lawd  'tect  yo'  an'  brung  yo' 
safe  home.     Doan  I,  Manda?" 

Aunt  Manda  could  but  nod  consent  when  she 
saw  before  her,  safe  and  sound,  the  object  of  such 
honest  supplication. 


One  of  a  Type  Almost  Extinct  123 

"And  the  prayers  of  the  righteous  availeth 
much,"  said  Major  Lewis, with  abnormal  sincerity. 
But  he  spoiled  it  by  adding:  "At  least,  that  's 
what  I  tell  Mrs.  Lewis  by  way  of  encouragement, 
when  things  come  her  way. ' ' 

"I  thank  you.  Uncle  Phil,  for  all  your  kindly 
interest.  Through  those  years  of  danger  and 
suffering,  I  have  thought  so  often  of  you  and 
Aunt  Manda.  You -all  were  my  constant  com- 
panions. Pleas  in  person,  and  you  and  Aunt 
Manda  in  memory." 

All  felt  that  the  ceremony  of  reunion  was  now 
complete,  and  the  Lewises  took  leave  and  started 
for  home.  Colonel  Grayson  thought  something 
ought  to  be  done  for  Pleas,  that  he  had  been 
unduly  overshadowed  by  the  importance  assumed 
by  Aunt  Manda,  so  he  said  to  her:  "  You  must 
remember,  Aunt  Manda,  that  Pleas  deserves  much 
credit  for  the  safe  return  of  Mr.  Howard.  He 
shared  with  his  master  every  danger,  nui'sed  him 
in  sickness  and  guarded  him  in  a  thousand  ways, 
as  only  a  faithful  servant  knows  how  to  do." 

"I  was  studyin'  'bout  dat  as  we  was  comin'  to 
de  gret  house,"  said  Aunt  Manda. 

Before  they  went  to  the  house,  Felix  Grayson 
drove  up  with  a  smart  horse  and  shining  carriage, 
the  outfit  of  an  agent  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau. 
He  scarcely  waited  for  a  formal  "  good-evening," 
he  was  so  much  excited. 

"I  have  just  learned  of  the  arrest  of  Howard 
and  young  Lewis,  and  of  the  parade  that  was 
made  of  them.  That  was  a  shame,  and  I  could 
have  helped  you  if  I  had  been  in  Kosciusko. 
It  is  the  work  of  the  State  authorities  and   not  of 


124  In  the  Wake  of  War 


the  Federal  Government.  I  intended  to  be  in 
Kosciusko  at  noon,  but  was  detained  at  Nashville. 
It  is  too  bad,  too  bad." 

"  It  was  a  very  nasty  business,"  said  Colonel 
Grayson,  "and  I  can  not  understand  the  animus 
of  it.  Perhaps  it  is  the  old  grudge  that  low 
breeding  bears  to  decency;  perhaps  Jonas  Smith 
is  but  the  agent  and  tool  of  others  at  present 
unknown  to  us.  It  showed  us  that  we  have 
friends  in  the  Union  party,  at  any  rate,  and  I 
reckon  that  is  some  compensation.  Won't  you 
get  out  and   take  dinner  with  us?" 

"No,  thank  you,  Brother  Rodeny;  I  have  an 
engagement.  I  will  try  to  arrange  matters  so 
you  will  not  again  be  disturbed,  for  this,  if  con- 
tinued, will  flavor  of  persecution.  I  hope  Mary 
Lou  is  well.  Please  give  her  my  regards.  If  I 
can  be  of  service  to  you,  Brother  Podeny,  don''t 
hesitate  to  call  on  me.  By-the-way,  have  vou 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  yet  ?  " 

"No,  not  yet,"  answered  Colonel  Grayson. 
"Major  Lewis  and  I  were  talking  about  that  this 
morning,  and  we  agreed  that  we  should  wait  a  bit 
and  see  what  kind  of  a  government  we  were  to 
have  before  attaching  ourselves  to  it.  If  Lincoln 
had  lived  there  would  be  no  hesitation,  but  now 
we  shall   see  what  the  politicians  will  do." 

"Well,  I  must  be  going.  Good-evening,  How- 
ard; good-evening.  Brother  Rodeny." 

"  He  doan  speak  to  no  niggers.  He  doan  mine 
thet  Aunt  Manda  kerried  him  when  he  baby. 
Em-m,  an'  what  a  on'ry  chile  he  war  !  He  none 
our  folks  ;  an'  he  a-doin'  of  no  good  'bout  hyear, 
nuther,"  said  Aunt  Manda,  as  he  drove  away. 


XII 

Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow 

PROMPT  to  his  appointment,  Manning  Lewis 
arrived  "  at  the  crack  of  day  "  next  morning 
with  a  bundle  of  mildewed  straps  and  a  shuck  col- 
lar, his  contribution  to  the  work-harness.  All  the 
scraps  were  marshalled  into  a  row  of  astonishing 
worthlessness;  and  after  much  labor  by  the  rule 
of  "cut  and  try  "  the  gear  was  assembled,  although 
with  lawless  disregard  to  the  original  purpose  the 
parts  were  intended  to  serve. 

The  old  bull-tongue  plow  was  dragged  from 
hiding,  a  sight  in  rusty  and  soggy  decrepitude. 
Everything  was  complete  after  its  kind,  only  there 
were  no  lines  with  which  to  rein  the  horse.  Their 
best  skill  and  contrivance  could  not  devise  even  a 
jerk-line. 

"All  the  better,"  cried  Howard,  determined  to 
see  only  success,  "  we  can  divide  the  work  easier. 
One  can  hold  the  plow  while  the  other  leads  the 
horse,  turn  and  turn  about.  Otherwise  you  will 
be  forever  fussing  lest  I  do  more  than  my  share. 
I'm  glad  there  are  no  lines." 

"Besides,  the  old  horse  may  need  support. 
The  poor  beast  has  been  ridden  so  hard  and 
dieted  so  carefully,  that  I  doubt  if  he  has  strength 
to  haul  a  plow  without  staggering.  I  speak  right 
now  for  the  first  turn  at  the  handles,"  said  Man- 
ning. 

125 


126  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Pleas  gave  such  assistance  as  he  could,  but  he 
knew  nothing  about  farm  work;  and  if  he  had 
been  put  to  it  to  hitch  up  the  horse,  he  would 
have  thought  more  than  likely  that  the  plow  han- 
dles were  intended  to  serve  the  same  purpose  as 
shafts  on  a  buggy. 

Uncle  Phil  came  down  tolerably  early,  ostensi- 
bly to  witness  the  beginning  of  operations,  but  he 
called  Colonel  Grayson  to  one  side,  and  with  a 
little  ceremony  of  a  confidential  and  mysterious 
purport,  dropped  some  yellow  coins  in  his  hand, 
saying:  "  Manda  'lowed  as  how  Mars  Howard 
home  yo'  monght  wan'  a  leetle  money." 

"That  is  very  thoughtful  of  you.  Uncle  Phil. 
How  much  is  left  ? " 

"  Hight  peart  heap.  Mars  Rodeny.  I  brung 
yo'  mo'  termorrer?" 

"I  will  let  you  know.  Uncle  Phil.  Times  are 
not  such  as  to  encourage  one  in  a  display  of  ready 
money.  Wait  a  few  days  yet  until  we  see  if  these 
soldiers  disturb  us  again." 

Colonel  Grayson  came  forward  chinking  the 
gold  in  his  hand.  "  You  see  our  bank  has  not 
suspended  payment,"  he  said.  "As  you  know, 
I  placed  with  Uncle  Phil  for  safe  keeping  our  sil- 
ver plate  and  a  quantity  of  gold  coin  that  I  had 
on  hand  when  the  war  was  brought  down  into  this 
Section.  He  proved,  probably  with  the  conniv- 
ance of  Aunt  Manda,  a  closer  banker  than  I  had 
anticipated;  for  when  the  dark  days  came  and  the 
South  was  in  such  straits  for  money,  I  went  to 
him  for  the  balance.  I  thought  we  could  do  with- 
out it,  and  that  we  had  not  the  moral  right  to 
withhold  a  cent;  but  do  you  reckon  he  would  give 


Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow  127 

it  up?  Not  Uncle  Phil!  He  brought  us  regu- 
larly our  accustomed  allowance  for  meat  and 
bread,  but  not  a  penny  more.  Mary  Lou  saved  a 
large  portion  of  this  and  I  carried  it  to  our  camps, 
but  no  argument  or  plea  or  threat  could  dislodge 
his  purpose  to  keep  back  the  bulk  of  it.  I  even 
read  to  him  the  story  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira, 
and  still  he  was  obdurate,  the  only  time  in  his  life 
that  he  stood  out  against  the  plain  word  of  the 
Scriptures.  He  said  he  was  keeping  it  until  How- 
ard came  home." 

"  Dat  was  Manda,  Mars  Rodeny,"  said  Uncle 
Phil,  not  without  pride  in  his  own  independence, 
for  all  he  gave  his  wife  the  greater  part  of  the 
credit.  "She  'lowed  as  how  I  was  keepin'  hit 
fo'  Mars  Howard.  She  nerr  lemrae  git  no 
mo'  as  jes'  so  much,  an'  Manda  she  mighty 
peart  at  countin.'  An,'  an'  yo'  knows,  Mars 
Rodeny,  Manda  am  monst'ous  parseverin'." 

After  this  little  matter  of  finance  was  arranged, 
Uncle  Phil  withdrew  to  the  shade  of  the  nearest 
tree  and  contributed  volumes  of  advice,  and  after 
each  mishap,  fairly  biistled  with  admonition. 
The  plow  hung  to  a  snag,  and  one  of  the  handles 
gave  the  lieutenant  a  humiliating  thrust  under  his 
guard,  landing  plump  on  the  ribs. 

"  Doan  I  tole  yo',  Mister  Manning?  She 
mighty  pesterin'  ole  plow;  she  breck  yo'  laig  nex', 
I  knowed  dat  ole  plow  'fore  Mars  Rodeny  war 
borned;  she  mighty  on'ry." 

For  all  the  unpromising  beginning  and  the  con- 
tinued breakdowns  and  discouragements  the  work 
went  on,  and  before  noon  quite  an  expanse  of 
weed  and  foul  grass  had  been  torn  up,  and  the 


128  In  the  Wake  of  War 

black  earth  laid  open  for  a  respectable  planting. 
The  soil  was  dry  and  hard,  already  baked  by  the 
shriveling  drought  that  followed  the  ravages  of 
war  in  the  South  and  lasted  through  the  summer 
of  1865.  But  our  farmers  were  hopeful  and 
determined.  They  could  not  believe  that  nature 
would  refuse  to  nourish  their  handiwork.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  quantity  of  seed-corn  was  brought 
from  pole  stringers  in  the  attic  where  it  had  hung 
unclaimed  these  four  seasons,  and  by  night  a  crop 
was  in  the  ground. 

The  following  day  this  performance  witli  horse 
and  plow  was  repeated  in  Major  Lewis's  garden. 
The  Major  looked  on  for  a  time,  and  then  with- 
drew to  the  shade  for  a  little  self-communion,  but 
Mrs.  Lewis  interrupted  his  monologue  by  coming 
out  to  enquire  how  the  work  progressed. 

"Magnificently,  my  dear,  magnificently,"  he 
answered,  with  mock  enthusiasm.  "Self-reli- 
ance is  a  beautiful  thing  in  real  life,  but  the 
reflection  that  the  grandsons  of  General  Mortimer 
Lewis  and  Captain  Howard  Grayson  have  no 
other  vehicle  than  an  old  bull-tongue  plow  with 
which  to  show  force  of  character,  drove  me  into 
the  shade  to  cuss  the  situation.  Yet,  if  they 
have  to  work  like  niggers,  they  better  do  it  here 
than  to  take  a  profession,  for  I  still  hold  that 
tilling   the    soil  is  the  gentleman's    occupation," 

"  But  this  exuberance  of  spirits  will  soon  work 
out,  and  then  they  will  be  willing  to  hire  negroes 
to  do  their  plowing,"  said  Mrs.  Lewis,  with  hope 
to  pacify  the  Major's  raging  emotions. 

"Take  this  chair,  my  dear.  No,  you  don't 
want  to  go  back  to  the  house.     Listen  to  me,  for 


Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow         129 

I  have  an  inward  call  to  storm.  What  you  said 
just  now  by  way  of  encouragement  is  what  I 
somewhat  fear  and  most  dread.  If  they  should 
quit  work,  that  would  be  the  very  devil  —  excuse 
the  expression.  If  this  zeal  proves  of  hot-bed 
growth,  its  great  shoots  will  wither  under  this 
burning  sun,  and  then  there  will  be  nothing  to 
show  for  it  but  an  extra  growth  of  rank  weeds 
where  they  are  breaking  up  the  ground  to-day. 
They  would  be  discouraged,  not  for  a  day,  but  for 
life,  and  become  worthless  members  of  society. 
That  would  be  the  immediate  result,  and  a  very 
humiliating  one  for  you  and  me.  But  the  other 
possibility,  and  it  looks  like  a  very  natm'al  proba- 
bility, pesters  me  for  ultimate  results.  Those 
young  gentlemen  have  no  idea  of  being  discour- 
aged. It's  not  in  their  blood.  If  these  efforts 
fail  from  lack  of  experience  or  bad  weather,  they 
will  go  at  it  again.  They  will  succeed  in  the  end. 
And  then  what  have  we  ?  With  self-made  success 
and  prosperity  comes  self-assertive  manhood — at 
least,  it's  called  manhood.  The  good  Lord 
deliver  us  in  the  South  from  a  race  of  self-made 
men  !  Then  comes  posterity  that  parts  its  name 
on  one  side,  and  hair  in  the  middle  !  We  have 
enough  of  those  fellows  in  our  social  enter- 
tainments now.  Think  of  it,  two  or  three  genera- 
tions hence  there  may  be  a  J.  Walker,  or  a  Z. 
Manning,  Lewis  !  May  the  devil  take  the  ticky 
thing  for  his  own  !  Then,  we  are  on  the  Yankee 
basis,  which  the  best  of  them  admit  to  me  has 
come  to  mean :  one  generation  between  dirty 
shirt  and  dirty  shu't.  Such  is  self-made  manhood, 
so-called,  and  such  are  its  results.    This  plantation 


130  In  the  Wake  of  War 

may  belong  to  a  Lewis  in  one  generation,  and  in 
the  next  to  his  Dutch  overseer,  who  will  call  it  his 
'varum,'  and  who  will  cut  the  shade  trees  out  of 
his  pastures  and  plant  the  whole  place  to  sauer- 
kraut. Then  after  his  soul  goes  to  lager  beer 
glory,  a  Lewis  will  have  got  money  enough  in  mak- 
ing wooden  nutmegs,  or  in  a  government  contract, 
so  that  he  can  buy  it  back,  with  the  graves  of  his 
ancestors,  and  the  Dutchman's  into  the  bargain. 
Think  of  the  time  when  your  poor  clay  and  mine 
shall  be  the  chief  consideration  in  a  commercial 
transaction  !  Better  that  it  plug  a  crack  and  stop 
a  draught  —  but  we  can't  all  be  Caesars." 

' '  But,  Walker,  the  South  will  never  come  to 
that.  Our  civilization  is  too  old.  I  think  you 
are  borrowing  trouble  in  very  large  quantities. 
The  Lord  will  preserve  us  from  such  unholy 
degeneration,"  answered  Mrs.  Lewis. 

"You  will  remember  that  I  asked  Him  in  my 
distress,  to  deliver  us.  I  do  not  recant  now  in 
my  calmer  mood.  I  hope  it  is  borrowed  trouble. 
If  it  is,  I  promise  solemnly  to  pay  it  back  with 
interest,  and  I  have  kept  all  my  obligations  to  this 
time.  But,  to  tell  the  whole  truth,  I  rebel  at  the 
loss  of  the  nigger.  He  was  in  his  God-given 
sphere  at  work  on  this  plantation.  It  was  best 
for  him,  enough  sight  better  than  loafing  about 
the  Freedmen's  Bureau  studying  deviltry  with 
vagabond  whites.  I  stand  for  the  good  of  the 
nigger.     What  is  good  for  him  is  good  for  me." 

"But,  Walker,  what  is  to  be  done?"  asked 
Mrs.  Lewis,  quietly.  She  had  ideas  of  her  own, 
but  realized  that  the  Major  had  not  finished. 

"  Oh,  nothing,  or  wait,   which  amounts  to  the 


Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow  I3I 

same  thing.  A  little  time  will  show  whether  we 
are  to  become  a  people  of  bustle  and  greed,  or  to 
go  on  as  a  people  of  contentment  and  gentility. 
I  am  so  scared  of  this  damned  —  excuse  the 
expression  —  self-madeness,  that  I  am  miserable 
all  the  time.  My  experience  with  that  swelling, 
assertive  class  has  been  most  unfortunate.  We 
had  better  stay  poor  and  take  our  place  in  the 
world  with  the  despised  '  shabby  genteel. '  I 
reckon  I  better  carry  a  bucket  of  fresh  water  out 
to  'the  hands,'  now  that  my  bile  is  worked  off 
a  bit.  I  don't  want  to  be  a  drone  in  this  busi- 
ness. Will  you  walk  back  and  lend  to  the  work 
the  encouragement  of  your  smile?" 

' '  If  times  change  as  you  anticipate,  Walker 
Lewis,  you  will  be  at  the  very  head  of  the  pro- 
cession. You  are  not  so  devoid  of  ambition  as 
you  would  have  us  believe,"    said    Mrs.   Lewis. 

"No,  my  dear,  you  flatter  me;  I'm  too  lazy. 
I  don't  mind  a  little  work  now  and  then,  but  do 
you  know  I  took  on  a  contempt  for  labor  very 
early  in  life  ?  Those  Yankee-made  copy  books 
that  we  used  down  in  the  Old  Field  school,  had 
stiffly  written  precepts  about  the  dignity  of  labor, 
which  I  had  to  copy  by  the  page,  or  take  a  flog- 
ging. You  know  wliat  scorn  I  have  for  dignity 
—  as  Sterne  says:  '  A  mysterious  carriage  of  the 
body  to  cover  the  defects  of  the  mind.'  Dignity 
and  labor;  labor  and  dignity;  dignity,  labor. 
I  don't  like  either,  and  I  hate  the  combination. 
No,  this  threatened  change  in  our  civilization  is 
the  work  of  the  Devil,  and  I  mean  to  avoid  him 
at  first,  and  resist  him  afterwards ;  but  to  swap  my 
bu-thright  for  self-made  manhood,  never." 


132  In  the  Wake  of  War 

They  found  the  work  going  bravely  on.  The 
young  men  were  begrimed  with  sweat  and  dust, 
but  not  dismayed.  While  they  rested  and  ate 
a  snack  of  corn  bread,  the  conversation  turned  on 
the  crop  prospect. 

True  to  the  Major's  prediction  there  was  no 
discouraging  the  young  men.  They  were  at  no 
time  after  the  first  tv;o  days  moved  with  more 
than  dogged  determination.  Enthusiasm  seemed 
to  give  place  to  cool,  calculating  purpose,  the 
quality  that  surmounts  not  one,  but  countless 
obstructions.  So  they  soon  overshot  their  orig- 
inal purpose  to  plant  only  a  patch  of  corn,  and 
prepared  ground  with  elevated  bedfj  and  walks 
between  for  a  full  assortment  of  garden  truck. 
This  they  did  without  knowing  where  the  seeds 
were  to  come  froui,  but  Felix  Grayson,  who 
often  came  that  way  in  the  alleged  discharge  of 
his  duties,  volunteered  to  supply  them  from  the 
Bureau's  storehouse. 

"  As  a  personal  favor.  Brother  Kodeny, "  he  said, 
patronizingly.  ' '  The  department  has  an  abundance 
and  the  negroes  will  not  plant  so  long  as  we  feed 
them;  why  shouldn't  you  have  seeds?  Besides, 
the  Lord  has  pronounced  a  curse  on  him  that 
heapeth  up  the  corn,  while  his  brother  is  in  need." 
"If  not  in  violation  of  the  rules  of  the  depart- 
ment, Felix,  I  shall  be  glad  to  pay  for  as  much 
as  the  young  men  need.  It  will  save  a  trip  to 
Nashville,  and  these  are  awkward  times  for  us  to 
travel.  We  will  pay  so  long  as  we  have  money, 
for  we  are  not  beggars  from  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment. We  surrendered  to  become  supporters, 
not  hano;ers-on." 


Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow         133 

"As  jou  like;  then  I  will  sell  joii  what  you 
need." 

Accordingly  seeds  were  bought  and  paid  for, 
and  two  full  gardens  were  planted. 

Then  came  the  tedious  and  anxious  season  of 
waiting  on  a  change  in  the  weather.  Day  after 
day  the  heavens  were  scanned  for  a  cloud,  and  if 
one  appeared,  no  matter  how  small  or  how  fluffy 
and  woolly  its  texture,  its  possibilities  were  calcu- 
lated, its  course  traced.  They  watched  the  sun- 
rise for  the  lowering  flush,  and  the  sunset  for  the 
glow  of  promise,  and  such  signs  as  their  eager 
hope  or  wistful  fancy  discovered,  failed  with 
more  than  proverbial  precision.  An  occasional 
spot  of  ground  that  contained  some  lingering 
moisture,  shot  up  tiny  yellow  blades  that  shriv- 
elled and  withered  in  the  broiling  sun.  It  was  not 
a  go.  Their  crop  was  a  sickening  failure  so  far 
as  any  well -in  tended  effort  can  fail. 

But  their  spirits  did  not  flag,  nor  did  the  work 
abate.  Each  for  himself  carried  on  rebuilding  in 
such  a  manner  that  intelligence  and  determination 
seemed  to  supply  fully  the  lack  of  experience  and 
training.  Great  gaps  in  the  rock  walls  were 
closed,  not  smoothly,  but  solidly.  And  the  war 
on  weeds  was  waged  with  the  brush  blade,  instead 
of  the  plow. 

The  sight  of  gentlemen  who  had  been  raised  to 
lives  of  elegance  and  ease,  at  work  as  common 
laborers  in  fields  over  which,  before  the  war,  they 
rode  only  to  hunt  or  carry  instructions  to  an  over- 
seer, was  not  uncommon  at  this  period.  Nearly 
all  the  soldiers  wlio  were  to  return  were  at  home. 
All  found  the  same  fortune  awaitins;  them  and  all 


134  In  the  Wake  of  War 

were  afield.  Everyone  bad  his  till  of  war.  He 
did  not  surrender  while  there  was  left  one  spark 
of  hope,  or  one  remnant  of  desperation. 

Like  a  martial  ]>eople,  they  appreciated  and 
were  grateful  for  the  magnanimous  terms  made  to 
them  by  the  victors.  They  could  not  have  asked 
so  much.  In  fact,  they  bad  expected  less.  As  a 
consequence,  those  who  received  this  generous 
parole,  had  no  thought  but  to  keep  it.  Faith  in 
Lincoln,  and  Grant,  and  Thomas,  knew  no  limit. 
With  the  vanquished  it  was  even  more  open  and 
unbounded  than  it  was  at  the  North,  where  a  spirit 
of  vengeance,  especially  among  those  who  had 
bled  by  proxy  and  substitute,  deprecated  the  easy 
terms  of  peace. 

But  this  parole,  unprecedented  though  it  was, 
bound  the  Government  as  well  as  the  ex-confed- 
erate. The  Government  was  not  without  its 
duties.  It  was  obligated  to  protect  the  citizen 
who  had  returned  to  his  allegiance,  so  long  as  he 
was  law-abiding.  And  he  had  no  other  inclination 
or  purpose.  Peace  and  good-will  were  all  he 
asked  for  —  faith  for  faith.  He  asked  for  no 
sympathy.  He  stood  like  a  man  to  receive  the 
natural  and  reasonable  consequences  of  his  pre- 
vious course,  under  the  terms  of  his  surrender. 
This  penalty  he  had  to  surfeit  in  the  devastation 
of  his  home,  the  suffering  of  his  dear  ones,  the 
disorganization  of  social  customs,  the  humiliation 
of  his  defeat.  He  only  asked  for  an  opportunity 
to  repair,  as  best  he  could,  the  waste  of  four 
years  of  civil  war,  and  to  drive  hunger  from  liis 
fireside.  Luxuries  he  had  foresworn;  necessities 
occupied  his  thought. 


Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  the  Brow  135 

This  purpose  was  best  evidenced  by  his  acts; 
he  was  at  work.  He  had  hoped,  he  had  a  right 
to  expect,  that  he  could  do  this  work  in  peace. 

Yet,  common  as  was  the  spectacle,  it  seemed  to 
possess  a  growing  charm  for  worthless  whites  and 
renegade  negroes.  Scarcely  a  day  passed  that 
Howard  Grayson  and  Manning  Lewis  had  not 
each  an  audience,  sometimes  large  and  appreci- 
ative, from  these  classes,  to  note  their  operations. 
It  seemed  as  if  this  proceeding  was  not  only  con- 
certed, but  a  regular  occupation,  for  when  Man- 
ning and  Howard  met  and  compared  experiences, 
they  discovered  that  the  uninvited  guests  of 
Elmington  one  day,  appeared  at  Fairfax  the  next. 
And  later  on  it  was  found  that  they  made  regular 
rounds  of  the  neighborhood. 

Not  the  least  frequent  of  these  visitors  was 
Jonas  Smith,  whose  promotion  to  authority  had 
brought  him  a  stock  of  energy.  He  was  con- 
sumed with  business  engagements,  but  always  took 
time  from  public  service  to  stop  and  harass,  as  if 
it  were  a  part  of  his  official  duty,  some  gentleman 
toiling  with  destruction.  But  Jonas  had  been  a 
failure  all  his  life.  He  was  born  to  be  of  no 
account,  and  had  early  struck  his  lead,  and  this 
new  employment,  as  results  showed,  was  well- 
matched  to  his  breeding  and  nicked  perfectly  with 
his  genius.  Some  men  are  born  with  wonderful 
talent  for  being  ignored.  They  fail  to  awaken  in 
those  with  whom  they  come  in  contact  either  of 
the  godlike  attributes  of  friendship  or  sympathy, 
or  even  the  human  attributes  of  pity  or  contempt. 
So  it  was  with  Smith.  With  all  his  zeal  and 
malice  he  never  proselyted  a  convert  to  the  gov- 


136  In  the  Wake  of  War 


ernment  he  served,  and  aroused  only  one  man  to 
deadly  enmity.     That  man  was  Pleas. 

It  came  about  in  this  way:  One  day  as  Howard 
and  Pleas  were  rebuilding  an  opening  in  the  rock 
wall  along  the  pike,  the  sheriff  and  posse  stopped 
to  mark  the  progress  of  the  work.  Smith  was 
talkative,  and  said:  "  Yo'  take  a-hole  of  thet 
work  mighty  peart,  Cap'n.  Whar  did  yo'  larn 
farmin'?  Yo'  air  a  good  han'.  I  am  thinkin' 
of  buyin'  a  plantation  on  the  waters  of  ole  Opal 
an'  I  would  n't  min'  hirin'  yo'  fo'  overseer." 

"Oh,  thank  you,  Smith,  I  have  all  I  can  over- 
see right  here,  for  the  present.  Between  putting 
this  place  to  rights,  and  listening  to  the  annoy- 
ances of  officers  I  reckon  I  shall  be  right  busy 
for  a  time." 

"No  damage  done,  Cap'n,  no  damage  done. 
If  yo'  wan'  a  cash  job,  yo'  knows  whar  to  hunt 
hit,"  said  the  sheriff. 

"I  reckon  it  is  sometimes  well  to  know  where 
one  can  find  a  cash  job,  but  I  shall  have  to  do 
with  what  I  can  get  out  of  this." 

When  the  posse  rode  on.  Pleas  said:  "  Dat 
Jonas  Smith  git  hisself  hu't,  an'  hu't  bad,  he  doan 
min'.  He  come  'long  hyear  insultin'  ge'men, 
case  dej  wuck." 

"He  can't  insult  us,  Pleas.  Nothing  he  can 
say  can  touch  us.  We  are  not  in  his  class,  and 
can't  be,"  replied  Howard. 

"He  git  hisself  hu't,  yo'  hyear  Pleas  a-talkin'. 
Hit  may  not  be  terday,  ner  termorrer,  but  he  git 
hu't.     We  doan  teck  no  mo'  he  smart  talk." 

Two  days  after,  the  offense  was  repeated  with 
added  contumely,  and  to  Howard's  surprise  Pleas 


Corn  Bread  and  Sweat  of  Brow  137 

gave  the  posse  the  encouragement  of  a  forced 
laugh  and  a  sly  wink.  Later  in  the  day,  when 
they  were  alone,  he  said:  "I  reckons  I  move 
outn  de  house,  to  de  quarters,  Mars  Howard." 

"  What  does  that  mean,  Pleas?  Your  room  is 
more  comfortable  than  any  of  the  cabins.  I  don't 
understand  this." 

"  IV  won' tell  Mars  Kodeny  ?  Say  yas.  I 's 
goan  jine  dis  League,  de  Union  League,  or  Loil 
League,  dat  meets  at  Kosciusko.  Mars  Eodeny 
mought  not  like  hit,  but  I 's  goan  jine." 

"  Of  course  you  can  join  it  if  you  want  to,  but 
what  for  ?  " 

"  Doan  zactly  know,  but  I  been  studyin'  'bout 
hit  sence  day  'fore  yistiddy,  and  I's  goan  jine." 

"  You  are  a  free  man,  Pleas,  and  have  a  right 
to  join  the  Union  League  if  you  want  to.  But 
there  is  something  back  of  all  this  that  you  don't 
want  to  tell  me,"  said  Howard. 

' '  I  doan  know  what  back,  or  front  of  hit,  Mars 
Howard;  I's  goan  jine,  an'  doan  wan'  Mars 
Rodeny  to  know.    I  nerr  jine  'thout  yore  knowin'." 

There  was  such  an  air  of  mystery  about  the 
negro  that,  for  a  time,  Howard  regretted  that  he 
had  been  so  free  with  his  consent.  He  knew  well 
enough  that  Pleas  was  not  in  sympathy  with  the 
League,  and  that  he  despised  the  negroes  who 
spent  most  of  their  nights  in  its  meetings.  None 
of  them  had  been  about  soliciting  his  membership, 
and  where  could  he  have  acquired  so  suddenly  the 
notion  ?  There  was  some  scheme  plotting  in  his 
mind,  yet  Pleas  had  been  always  the  most  straight- 
forward and  disingenuous  of  creatures.  It  might 
be  bravado,  it  might  be  curiosity,  it  might  be  that 


138  In  the  Wake  of  War 

he  feared  mischief  was  being  plotted  against  them, 
and  he  thought  he  could  best  serve  his  master  by 
knowing  what  was  going  on  behind  drawn  curtains 
and  locked  doors.  So  the  subject  was  dropped, 
and  Howard  helped  to  prepare  the  way  for  Pleas 
to  change  his  room  for  one  of  the  cabins  back  of 
the  house,  without  arousing  the  suspicion  or 
opposition  of  Colonel  Grayson. 


Xlil 

The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada 

THE  next  day  while  the  Graysons  were  at  din- 
ner, Pleas  came  into  the  house  carrying  a  per- 
fumed card  which  he  handed  to  the  Colonel. 

"Here,  Howard,  read  the  name,  please,  my 
glasses  are  not  at  hand.  My  eyes  are  too  old  for 
such  fine  script." 

Howard  took  the  card,  glanced  at  the  name, 
and  dropped  it  near  Mary  Lou,  as  if  it  had  burned 
his  fingers.  She  read  aloud:  "John  Dodge," 
Mary  Lou  and  her  foster-father  exchanged  glances. 
Howard  looked  intently  at  the  plute  before  him. 
No  one  spoke  for  a  full  minute.  At  last  Colonel 
Grayson  recovered  from  his  surprise  and  asked: 
"Where  is  Mr.  Dodge,  Pleas?" 

"Out'n  de  front,  suh,  in  de  span'est  kerrige 
yo'  err  seen." 

"Go  out  quickly  and  take  his  horse  and  tell 
him  to  come  in.  For  once,  surprise  made  me 
forget  the  hospitality  due  from  this  house.  I 
must  be  getting  old  and  weak.  Run  out,  boy, 
and  hold  his  horse,"  said  Colonel  Grayson,  with 
marked  impatience  toward  himself. 

"He  got  two  bosses,  Mars  Rodeny,"  said  Pleas 
with  tantalizing  deliberation,  as  he  looked  at 
Howard,  expecting  him  to  speak. 

"Well,  take  them  both,  and  be  quick  about  it," 
answered  the  Colonel. 


140  In  the  Wake  of  War 


"Will  you  excuse  me,  Father?  I  prefer  to  see 
Mr.  Dodge  for  the  first  time  outside  our  house, 
where  I  won't  be  under  the  ban  of  hospitality," 
said  Howard. 

' '  You  had  better  remain  and  say  '  how-dy, '  then 
withdraw  if  you  like.  There  will  be  an  abundance 
of  time  to  see  him  after  to-day,"  replied  the 
Colonel. 

"As  you  say,  Father;  but  I  fear  I  shall  show 
my  contempt  for  a  coward,  in  spite  of  myself." 

Just  then  heavy  footsteps  were  heard  shuffling 
down  the  hall,  and  a  loud,  husky  voice  of  some 
one  talking  to  himself,  said:  "Perfectly  natural; 
just  like  coming  home,"  and  the  burly  form  of 
Mr.  Dodge  filled  the  dining-room  door. 

"How  are  you,  Colonel  Grayson,  my  old  friend 
and  neighbor?  Glad  to  see  you;  hope  you  're  all 
well.  Ah,  Miss  Mary  Lou,  prettier  than  ever ! 
And  Howard,  my  boy,  you  're  looking  well. 
This  don't  look  like  war,  just  the  same  sweet  and 
happy  family  as  of  yore.  How  are  you  all?" 
This  Mr.  Dodge  delivered  without  seeming  to  take 
breath.  In  fact,  it  used  to  be  said  that  he  never 
took  breath,  that  breath  was  forever  going  out  of 
him.  While  yet  he  was  speaking.  Colonel  Gray- 
son extended  his  hand,  and  when  he  had  an 
opportunity,  answered:  ' '  I  hope  you  are  as  well  as 
you  look,  Mr.  Dodge.  We  are  in  excellent  health 
here,  thank  you.  You  took  us  entirely  by  sur- 
prise. We  had  not  heard  of  your  return.  Won't 
you  sit  down  and  have  some  dinner?  " 

Mr.  Dodge  measured  the  scant  prospect  with 
a  glance.  "No,  thanks,  had  dinner  at  Kosci- 
usko,    Just  got  in;  took  everybody  by  surprise. 


The  Glorious  Cuhviate  of  Canada  141 

Came  through  by  freight;  brought  some  horses 
and  carriages.  Thought  the  horse  stock  'd  be  run 
down  by  the  war.  Can't  drive  a  hack  horse,  you 
know,  always  loved  a  good  horse.  Ill  have  a 
few  good  mares  to  sell.  Yes,  my  health  's  good, 
thanks.  That  Northern  climate 's  wonderful 
stuff  —  bracing,  invigorating.  No  liver  trouble 
there.  I  left  here  a  sick  man,  awfully  sick,  but 
in  less  'n  a  month  I  was  a  new  man.  Have  n't 
seen  a  sick  dtiy  since,  but  now  I  've  been  off  the 
cars  only  three  hours  and  my  tongue  is  coated. 
My  teeth  are  all  covered  with  fur.  This  is  a 
horrible  climate  for  a  man  with  a  liver."  And 
he  made  the  usual  grimace  of  a  healthy  man 
trying  to  convince   others  that  he  is   sick. 

"But  it  is  much  healthier  now  than  it  was  two 
months  ago,"  Colonel  Grayson  put  in  at  the  first 
lull. 

"Yes,  yes,  I  guess  so,"  answered  Mr.  Dodge, 
quickly.  He  did  not  want  to  surrender  the 
floor  until  he  had  made  his  case.  "  But  you 
know  I  was  sick  in  the  spring  of  '61;  had  to  get 
away;  and  as  luck  would  have  it,  went  to  the 
right  place  exactly,  Hygeia  Springs,  Canada,  just 
across  the  river.  Fine  air,  sparkling  water,  no 
malaria  —  the  very  place  for  a  man  dying  of  bil- 
iousness. Got  well  in  a  few  days,  and  then  got 
into  business;  great  country  for  business  the  last 
four  years.  Wanted  to  come  back  and  east  my 
lot  with  my  people  down  here,  but  could  n't  leave 
my  business.  Was  kind  of  speculating,  and  had 
to  watch  my  irons.  They  burn  quickly  up  there 
if  they  aren't  watched." 

' '  I  reckon  then  you  have  closed  out  and  have 


142  In  the  Wake  of  War 

returned  to  live  with  us  ?  "  enquired  Colonel 
Grayson.  "We  shall  be  glad  to  welcome  you 
b— " 

"Yes,  I'm  all  cleaned  up,"  Mr.  Dodge  broke 
in,  without  letting  Colonel  Grayson  finish. 
"  Thanks  for  the  welcome.  I  knew  I  'd  be  wel- 
comed back  to  old  Williams  County,  especially 
as  I  brought  a  carload  of  the  finest  horses  that 
ever  looked  through  a  collar.  Yes,  if  I  can 
stand  the  climate,  I  '11  stay.  I  'd  like  awfully 
well  to  go  back  North  and  be  in  business  a  few 
years  —  business  is  business  there  now.  Money 
is  money.  If  you  need  any  money,  old  friend, 
don't  hesitate  to  call.  You  know  I  'm  always 
ready  for  business.  By  the  way,  do  you  know 
where  Margaret  is  ?  She  gave  me  the  slip  up 
North,  and  played  me  a  nice  trick  to  boot.  Oh, 
she 's  her  father's  daughter,  she 's  smart.  You 
were  a  soldier  in  our  cause,  Howard.  Did  you 
see  her  ?     Or  were  n't  you  in  a  hospital  ?  " 

"  I  was  a  soldier,  Mr.  Dodge,  but  did  not  see 
Miss  Margaret,  and  have  not  heard  from  her  since 
she  went  away  with  you,  for  your  health.  1  was 
fortunate  enough  to  make  no  hospital  record," 
answered  Howard. 

"  I  had  two  letters  from  her,"  said  Mary  Lou, 
looking  guiltily  at  her  brother,  "  but  they  were 
badly  delayed  in  the  mails.  She  was  in  a  hos- 
pital, near  Atlanta,  nursing  our  wounded  soldiers, 
and  in  poor  health. " 

"This  blasted  climate  again.  She  ran  away 
from  me  in  less'n  a  week  —  as  soon  as  she  saw  I 
was  out  of  danger  —  leaving  behind  a  foolish  note 
in  which  she  said  she  was  going  to  be  a  nurse.     I 


The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada  143 

feared  she  couldn't  get  through  the  lines  to  our 
army,  but  she  did.  I  afterwards  got  two  letters, 
but  our  mail  service  down  here  was  awfully  bad. 
That 's  one  reason  we  failed,  mail  service  so  bad. 
1  tell  you  we  can't  do  business  without  mail  serv- 
ice, and  we  can't  carry  on  war  without  business 
behind  to  support  it.  Up  North  the  Yankees  went 
to  the  war  at  first;  but  they  soon  got  wise  and 
hired  substitutes  to  do  the  fighting,  and  stayed  at 
home  themselves  and  did  the  business.  Lots  of 
business  during  exciting  times.  People  don't 
stop  to  ask  the  price.  And  let  me  tell  you,  the 
man  who  don't  ask  the  price  before  he  buys,  gets 
roasted,  roasted  good  and  hot.  Lots  of  lying  and 
cheating;  can't  believe  anybody;  have  to  do 
business  on  your  own  judgment.  No  such  thing 
as  personal  honor.  If  a  man  calls  you  a  liar, 
just  tell  him  he  's  another,  and  both  are  right  and 
no  feelings  hurt.  They  don't  fight  over  such  a 
little  thing  as  being  called  a  liar,  for  they  know 
that  it  is  bound  sooner  or  later  to  be  true.  To 
one  who  has  lived  down  here  where  every  man's 
statement  goes  for  truth,  whether  or  no,  all  this 
seemed  strange.  Down  here  a  gentleman's  word  is 
always  good,  although  his  written  promise  to  pay 
may  sometimes  fail.  We  have  always  gone  on  the 
theory  that  the  law  will  take  care  of  the  written 
obligation,  and  that  every  gentleman  ought  to 
protect  his  word.  TFp  there  one  has  no  security 
unless  the  agreement  is  signed,  sealed,  witnessed, 
and  stamped  with  a  revenue  sticker.  I  didn't 
like  it  at  first,  but  business  was  so  lively  I  soon 
fell  into  the  ways  of  the  country.  I  can't  remem- 
ber that  it  used  to  be  so  in  the  East,  but  I  suppose 


144  In  the  Wake  of  War 


it  was,  for  there  are  millions  of  New  England  peo- 
ple in  the  Northwest,  and  a  Yankee  's  a  Yankee 
wherever  you  find  him.  All  kinds  of  business  are 
good  —  merchandizing,  trading,  government  con- 
tracting, and  lending  money.  And  then  there 
were  millions  made  buying  aud  selling  substi- 
tutes. Perfectly  legitimate  business,  and  all  cash. 
The  substitute's  a  good  fighter,  and  makes  a 
respectable  corpse  in  uniform,  with  a  flag  wrapped 
around  him,  ha  !  ha !  But  I  must  find  Margaret 
—  she's  my  only  child.  I  got  to  talking  again 
and  forgot  her.  Near  Atlanta  !  I  suppose  there 
are  lots  of  hospitals  near  Atlanta,  and  it  might  be 
a  big  job  to  find  her.  I  guess  I  '11  write  —  but, 
no,  I  must  find  her  for  certain.  You  see,  the  ras- 
cal played  it  on  her  father.  She  took  the  notion 
into  her  head  before  we  left  here  that  I  was  going 
to  sell  the  old  home  place,  where  her  grandmother, 
her  mother,  and  herself  all  were  born,  and  where 
her  mother  is  buried.  Foolish  notion,  but  she 
wouldn't  give  it  up.  She  would  n't  move  a  peg 
to  go  with  her  poor  sick  father,  until  he  promised 
to  give  her  a  deed  to  a  hundred  acres,  taking  in 
the  house  and  burial  yard.  Well,  I  promised, 
thinking  she  would  forget  it  next  day.  But  trust 
Margaret  not  to  forget !  She  gave  me  no  peace, 
sick  as  I  was,  until  that  deed  was  signed,  executed, 
and  delivered  to  her.  And  then  she  took  '  French 
leave,'  as  I  have  told  you.      I  most  find  her." 

Howard  and  Mary  Lou  exchanged  glances,  and 
a  calm  came  over  the  face  of  the  young  man  that 
it  had  not  worn  since  he  returned  home. 

"  Something  must  be  done,  and  that  right 
quickly,"  said  Colonel  Grayson.  "  Suggest  what 
you  would  like  us  to  do." 


The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada  145 

"  I  thought  at  first  we  'd  write  to  some  of  the 
authorities  in  Atlanta,  bnt  mails  are  uncertain, 
even  now.  Perhaps  we  'd  best  to  telegraph,  but 
that  is  expensive.  What  shall  I  do,  my  old 
friend?     Help  me  with  your  advice." 

"By  all  means,  drive  at  once  to  Kosciusko, 
and  telegraph  to  the  Provost-Marshal  at  Atlanta, 
and  he  will  answer  you  directly,"  said  Colonel 
Grayson.  "In  a  matter  like  this  there  can  be  no 
uncertainty.  We  should  have  undertaken  it  long 
ago  had  Mary  Lou  told  us  that  Miss  Margaret  was 
sick.  For  some  reason,  probably  a  good  one, 
she  has  not  mentioned  it  before." 

"I  could  not.  Father,"  said  Mary  Lou. 

"  Well,  come  on,  Howard,  and  go  with  me  to 
Kosciusko.  I  will  see  if  that  deed  has  been 
placed  on  record,  and  then  telegraph  to  Atlanta. 
I  want  to  get  settled  down  and  go  to  business;  can't 
lose  time;  must  get  that  deed  back  and  Margaret 
home,  sick  or  well,  and  then  start  into  business. 
Suppose  things  are  mightily  run  down  at  the  house. 
Just  drove  into  the  yard  and  saw  Uncle  Sam  a 
minute;  did  n't  get  out  of  the  carriage.  What 
do  you  suppose  he  was  doing  ?  Good  old  nigger, 
but  he  's  got  no  business  sense!  He  was  carry- 
ing water  in  an  old  cracked  gourd,  from  the  spring 
away  up  to  the  burial  yard  to  sprinkle  the  flow- 
ers on  Mrs.  Dodge's  grave.  Faithful  old  creature, 
but  not  capable  of  making  a  living.  Yes,  he's 
pretty  old  for  that.  He  said  he  had  seen  rather 
tough  sledding  since  I  left,  especially  the  last 
year.  You  see  I  was  n't  here  to  feed  him.  Said 
something  about  Miss  Mary  Lou  giving  him  some 
clothes  and  food,  but  I  was  looking  at  a  gap  in 


t46  In  the  Wake  of  War 

the  rock  wall  and  did  n't  quite  catch  his  remark. 
He  's  his  own  man  now  that  he  's  free,  and  I  don't 
suppose  I  'm  liable  for  his  support,  though  Mar- 
garet will  probably  take  a  different  view  of  the 
matter  when  she  gets  here.  Have  Federals  both- 
ered you  ?  They  are  getting  awfully  smart. 
Officers  from  up  North  are  sending  home  all 
sorts  of  valuable  things;  confiscation  they  call  it. 
I  call  it  robbery.  One  colonel  in  Detroit  sent  up 
a  whole  outfit  of  family  portraits,  taken  from  the 
house  of  one  of  our  families  in  the  South.  He 
was  no  relation  to  them,  and  what  could  he  want 
of  the  pictures  ?  He  could  n't  sell  them  for  a 
cent  !     Strange,  ain't  it  !  " 

"  We  have  heard  of  those  things  being  done  in 
other  parts  of  the  South,  but  not  here.  General 
Thomas,  in  command  of  this  division,  is  too  much 
of  a  gentleman,  and  too  high-minded  a  soldier  to 
permit  such  an  outrage,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

"  So  I  understand.  They  've  confiscated  some 
of  my  land,  but  I  don't  expect  to  have  any  trouble 
about  it.  I  '11  get  good  rent  for  it  out  of  the  Gov- 
ernment. I  know  Congressman  Challoner,  of 
Michigan,  intimately.  I  got  him  a  substitute  for 
eight  hundred  dollars,  when  the  regular  dealers 
wanted  a  thousand;  and,  as  sly  as  you  keep  it,  I 
made  two  hundred  on  the  deal  besides  the  fifty 
old  Challoner  gave  me  out  of  sheer  gratitude. 
He'll  work  my  claim  through  Congress;  just  watch 
me  make  out  a  bill!  Let's  be  going.  Confound 
it  all,  I  got  to  talking  again  and  forgot  that  deed, 
and  Margaret.  Come  on,  Howard.  Good-bye, 
my  old  friend  and  neighbor,  until  we  meet  again; 
good-bye.  Miss  Mary  Lou."     And  he  hustled  down 


The  Glorious  CuiwiATt  of  Canada  147 

the  hall,  followed  bj  Howard,  who  had  forgotten 
his  resentment. 

The  contradictory  character  of  John  Dodge 
had  been  the  one  perennial  problem  of  Williams 
Countj  since  he  dropped  into  this  community 
twenty-five  years  before  this  history  begins,  a 
teacher  in  Mr.  Nash's  academy.  He  came  from 
Harvard  with  the  recommendation  of  his  profes- 
sor in  mathematics,  a  thing  easily  secured  by  one 
of  Dodge's  patronizing  manner.  For  a  while  he 
filled  the  limited  requirements  of  an  instructor  in 
a  preparatory  academy,  but  devoted  most  of  his 
time  to  studying,  and  adjusting  himself  to  the 
new  conditions  by  which  he  found  himself  sur- 
rounded. Born  and  brought  up  in  the  abolition  at- 
mosphere of  New  England,  he  had  entertained 
very  radical  views  on  the  subject  of  slavery;  but 
now  he  found  himself  put  to  the  alternative  of 
changing  these  views  or  returning  to  the  North. 
There  were  better  possibilities  in  the  South,  so  he 
set  to  the  not  difficult  task  of  proselyting  himself. 
This  he  had  to  do  or  leave  Tennessee,  for  what- 
ever he  thought  or  believed,  he  had  to  speak  and 
speak  often.  He  was  a  person  who  was  radical 
on  every  subject,  after  he  had  decided  which 
course  he  would  best  pursue. 

At  that  time  the  country  was  torn  with  threat- 
ened nullification.  South  Carolina  was  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  world  with  her  own  peculiar 
views  on  the  rights  of  the  Sovereign  State.  So, 
being  a  creature  of  extremes,  he  not  only  adopted 
the  creed  of  slavery,  but  went  to  the  very  limit 
and  became  a  rabid  Nullifler.  He  made  speeches, 
wordy  and  vehement,  and  proclaimed  his  purpose 


148  In  the  Wake  of  War 


to  leave  Tennessee  and  emigrate  to  the  headquar- 
ters of  his  new  doctrine,  in  order  that  Mr.  Calhoun 
might  have  the  benefit  of  his  valuable  support;  but 
as  South  Carolina  bade  fair  to  place  herself  in  open 
rebellion  with  the  rest  of  the  country  and  there 
was  a  tinge  of  possible  danger,  he  continued  to  teach 
fractions  and  decimals  in  Mr,  Nash's  acaderaj^ 
and  to  submit  to  discipline  from  the  worthy  head- 
master, who  did  not  share  his  extreme  views.  This 
seemed  to  chafe  him  somewhat,  but  his  valor  suc- 
cumbed to  prudence,  and  he  ceased  to  appear  in 
public  debates,  and  all  went  well  for  a  time. 

But  it  so  befell  that  Colonel  Saunders,  a  verj 
prosperous  planter  whose  place  adjoined  Elming- 
ton,  was  a  States'  Rightser  of  the  most  radical 
sort,  and  he  took  the  fledgling  into  his  confidence 
and  counsel.  Here  young  Dodge  found  consola- 
tion and  tutelage,  and  the  twain  passed  nearly 
every  evening,  after  school  hours,  in  promulgating 
to  each  other,  with  great  vehemence  of  argument, 
the  doctrine  of  nullification. 

And  Mr.  Dodge  soon  found  that  he  had  builded 
better  than  he  knew.  Colonel  Saunders  had  a 
daughter  somewhat  past  the  age  of  matrimonial 
expectancy,  and  several  years  the  senior  of  the 
young  tutor,  who  came  to  exhibit  deep  interest  in 
those  political  discussions,  and  was  not  without 
sympathy  for  the  political  offender.  To  curtail  a 
long  recital,  which  might  seem  to  the  reader  to 
partake  more  of  neighborhood  gossip  than  of 
serious  history,  the  forces  of  nullification  in  that 
community  were  united  by  the  bond  of  matrimony, 
iind,  on  the  invitation  of  Colonel  Saunders,  were 
mobilized  under  his  roof. 


The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada  149 

Straightway,  the  young  man  forgot  his  political 
enthusiasm,  and  confined  his  discussions  to  an 
after-dinner  debate  over  a  mint  julep  or  a  toddy, 
leaving  the  propagation  of  the  heresy  in  the  world 
at  large  to  Colonel  Saunders. 

With  the  same  zeal  that  he  displayed  in  the 
cause  of  nullification,  he  now  plunged  into  matters 
domestic.  At  home  he  talked  and  bustled  about 
affairs  on  the  plantation,  and  abroad  he  ceased  not 
to  persuade  young  gentlemen  of  the  blissful  condi- 
tion of  the  marriage  state,  and  to  exhort  them  to 
follow  his  example.  This  mania  lasted  for  a  few 
years,  and  was  followed  by  one  for  hunting,  which 
filled  the  house-yard  with  loud-mouthed,  sheep- 
killing  hounds,  that  never  were  led  to  the  chase 
but  were  a  constant  nuisance  to  the  neighborhood. 

So  it  went  on  from  one  harmless  fad  to  another, 
until  the  year  'Gl,  when  Mr.  Dodge  suddenly  be- 
came seized  with  the  idea  that  he  was  a  very  sick 
man,  and  must  make  a  radical  change  in  climate, 
and  for  once  he  did  more  than  talk.  In  the  mean- 
time Colonel  Saunders  and  Mrs.  Dodge  had  died; 
and  John  Dodge  found  himself,  half  by  inherit- 
ance and  half  as  guardian  for  his  minor  daughter. 
Miss  Margaret,  lord  of  the  Saunders  homestead, 
which  seemed  to  his  ever  enthusiastic  fancy  to 
comprise  a  goodly  portion  of  the  habitable  globe. 

And  now  he  was  back  with  a  new  fad,  business. 
His  sojourn  in  the  North  during  the  war  had  filled 
him  with  the  same  exaggerated  notions  of  business 
that  he  had  previously  entertained  on  other  sub- 
jects. Evidently  he  had  made  a  few  trades,  and 
as  he  was  too  thrifty  to  take  chances,  he  had  in 
all  probability  bettered  his  financial  condition.    In 


150  In  the  Wake  of  War 


all  these  different  aspects  of  his  mood,  he  had 
been  a  man  of  good  domestic  habit,  always  a 
kind,  and  at  times  an  affectionate  husband  and 
father,  a  peaceable  and  a  conciliatory  neighbor,  a 
man  of  integrity,  perhaps  because  he  lived  in  an 
atmosphere  of  honesty,  a  man  with  few  friends 
and  no  enemies.  He  had  no  qualities  except 
good  humor  that  men  could  love.  He  was  too 
spontaneous  and  childish  to  be  hated. 

The  sun  was  going  down,  a  red,  dronthy  ball, 
when  Howard  and  Mr.  Dodge  returned.  Colonel 
Grayson  and  Mary  Lou  were  sitting  on  the  front 
veranda,  noting  the  dry  promise  of  the  closing 
day. 

"How  coarse  in  appearance  and  manner  Mr. 
Dodge  has  grown  since  he  went  North,"  said 
Mary  Lou. 

"Yes,  he  has  taken  on  much  flesh,  and  appears 
to  have  added  persistence  to  his  bustling  manner," 
answered  Colonel  Grayson.  "The  persistent  man 
is  the  most  rude  and  tiresome  of  all  creatures,  and 
I  regret  to  mark  the  change  in  Mr.  Dodge.  He 
was  a  splendid  neighbor,  a  man  of  excellent  inten- 
tions. But  he  has  been  always  a  creature  of 
environment,  so  easily  influenced  for  good  or  ill  — 
not  that  I  think  he  would  readily  follow  into  bare- 
faced immorality.  But  he  likes  to  do  whatever 
he  sees  others  do,  especially  those  for  whom  he 
has  a  liking  or  in  whom  he  has  confidence.  I 
hope  he  will  settle  down  on  the  old  place  and 
resume  a  quiet  life  again." 

"He  appeared  positively  gross  to  me  m  that 
flashy  suit  of  clothes,  and  reeking  with  perfumery. 
If  I  had  not  known  him  favorably  before,  and  if 


The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada  151 

he  were  not  Margaret's  father,  I  should  hope  he 
did  not  come  again,"  replied  Marj  Lou. 

"I  noticed  all  that,  Mary  Lou,  and  more,  but 
don't  you  think  you  are  a  little  moved  by  preju- 
dice?" asked  Colonel  Grayson. 

"Possibly  so.  Father.  I  can  not  conquer  my 
dislike  for  a  cowardly  man,  and  I  can  not  treat 
him  as  I  am  inclined  to  do.  How  different  Mar- 
garet is  I  All  the  sweetness  and  gentleness  of 
her  mother,  and  all  the  force  of  her  grandfather. 
You  do  not  know  her  story  yet,  but  when  you 
do  you  will  admire  her  more  than   ever." 

"  I  have  believed  her  capable  of  any  good  deed, 
and  have  looked  for  her  to  come  to  a  beautiful 
life,"  said  Colonel  Grayson.  "  Suspend  judgment 
on  Mr.  Dodge  a  few  weeks,  until  he  has  again 
fallen  in  with  his  old  surroundinffs. " 

As  the  carriage  drew  up  through  the  trees,  Mary 
Lou  rose  and  walked  impatiently  back  and  forth, 
and  before  it  stopped  she  called  out:  "What 
news,  Brother  ?     Did  you  find  her  ? ' ' 

"Yes,  yes,  we  heard  from  her,"  answered  Mr. 
Dodge,  without  giving  Howard  a  chance.  "In  a 
hospital  all  right,  in  Atlanta,  and  sick  —  awfully 
sick,  I  believe.  Telegraph  dispatch  said  nerves 
broken  down,  but  she  is  dying  of  biliousness, 
probably."  He  stopped  his  horse  close  to  the 
steps  and  seemed  on  the  verge  of  nervous  col- 
lapse, as  he  cried:  "What  shall  I  do,  my  good 
friend  and  neighbor?  You've  advised  me  so 
many  times,  and  so  well !  She  will  die  if  she  is 
left  there  without  some  special  attention." 

"Somebody  must  go  after  her,  and  Mary  Lou 
is  the  person  —  ' ' 


152  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Yes,  yes,  Miss  Mary  Loii  is  just  the  good 
Samaritan  for  that  deed,"  he  cut  in,  before 
Colonel  Grayson  had  got  well  started.  "They 
have  been  such  friends;  yes,  Miss  Mary  Lou  will 
cheer  her  up  and  bring  her  home  pretty  quick. 
When  will  you  go  ?  " 

"  Of  course  she  can  not  go  unattended,"  said 
Colonel  Grayson.  "Aunt  Manda  would  be  of 
service  and  some  protection,  but  a  man  must  go 
—  I  must  go.  I  have  not  taken  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  but  I  will  waive  all  scruples  and 
qualify   for    the   journey." 

"  Oh,  thanks,  a  thousand  thanks,  my  old  friend 
and  neighbor.  I  am  right  at  home  again.  No 
other  place  in  this  world  has  such  true  women, 
such  noble  men.  It 's  worth  more  'n  business, 
after  all's  said  and  done.  I  can't  go,  can't  leave 
my  horses.  The  Yankees  would  carry  them  off, 
or  the  negroes  hamstring  them  the  first  night. 
It 's  awfully  good  of  you  to  go  !  The  deed  was  n't 
on  record;  in  fact  there  are  no  records.  Yankee 
soldiers  spread  all  the  papers  and  court  files  on 
the  fioors  of  the  court-house  to  make  beds,  and 
now  all  our  public  documents  and  legal  documents 
are  in  a  pile.  We  saw  a  negro  lighting  his  pipe 
with  a  strip  torn  off  somebody's  will.  It 's  going 
to  be  up-hill  work,  doing  business  in  this  chaos. 
What  do  you  suppose  it  will  cost  to  bring  Mar- 
garet home? " 

Mary  Lou  turned  and  walked  away  to  hide  her 
disgust.  Colonel  Grayson,  who  never  failed  to 
excuse  a  fault  in  others,  answered  calmly:  "I 
reckon    one   hundred   dollars   will  cover   the  ex- 


The  Glorious  Climate  of  Canada  153 

penses,  unless  we  should  be  detained   in  Atlanta 
longer  than  I  anticipate." 

"Better  take  two  hundred;  don't  want  you  to 
be  pinched  for  ready  money.  I  want  Margaret 
home.  She'll  get  well  here  in  no  time.  Some 
fathers  would  be  mad  at  a  daughter  that  played 
such  a  trick,  but  I  'm  not !  No,  siree,  I  'm  proud 
of  her !  She  's  got  all  of  her  father's  spunk,  and 
is  as  gentle  and  sweet  as  her  mother  was.  I'll 
give  you  gold,  Colonel  Grayson,  and  you  best  get 
the  rates  of  premium  as  you  go  through  Nashville. 
Look  out  for  the  rates  of  premium,  or  they  will 
cheat  you.  But  no,  we  are  not  up  North,  are  we  ? 
I  clear  forgot.  Will  you  start  in  the  morning? 
Yes,  that's  good,  too." 


XIV 

The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town 

THE  next  morning  Mary  Lou  brought  down 
from  its  hiding  in  the  store-room,  her  summer 
hat  of  the  mode  of  1861.  The  decorations  that 
formed  the  greater  part  of  that  mysterious  article 
of  apparel  and  ornament,  bore  evidences  of  age  in 
unconquerable  lines  and  wrinkles.  But  what  it 
lacked  in  freshness  and  newness  of  material,  was 
more  than  met  incorrectness  of  pattern;  for  Dame 
Fashion  with  her  iron  hand  had  not  invaded  the 
South  these  four  long  years,  and  there  were  no 
recent  dictates  on  size  and  conformity.  For  once 
in  the  history  of  the  world  the  possession  of  finery 
fixed  a  style,  imperious  and  final,  against  which 
the  votaries  of  Mammon  could  not  prevail.  Each 
woman  pressed,  smoothed,  curled,  and  reshaped 
as  most  suited  her  taste,  the  material  she  had  in 
use  or  in  store  when  the  blockade  began.  And 
thus  was  developed  an  individuality  —  not  the  in- 
dividuality of  a  milliner  in  Paris,  before  whose 
whim  the  ornamental  headgear  of  the  feminine 
world  towers  aloft  or  spreads  out  —  but  of  mil- 
lions of  women,  who,  each  for  herself,  did  with 
her  own  what  seemed  best  and  most  appropriate. 
The  conditions  that  made  this  possible,  or  neces- 
sary, were  deplorable;  but  the  results,  to  every 
observer  of  the  servility  of  woman  to  designing 
vogue,  were  most  encouraging.  And  herein  lay 
true  heroism,  for  it  is  claimed  by  all  cynics  and 

154 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  155 

some  philosophers,  that  it  comes  easier  and  more 
natural  for  the  feminine  mind  to  circumvent  the 
commands  of  Jehovah  than  to  defy  the  decrees  of 
Fashion. 

If  specific  proof  of  these  observations  were 
needed,  it  could  be  had  in  the  case  of  Miss  Mary 
Lou  Grayson ;  for  either  the  simple  hat  of  her  own 
arrangement,  or  the  excitement  of  preparation  for 
her  trip,  had  wrought  such  a  transformation  in 
her  appearance,  that,  as  she  came  down  from  the 
house  to  take  her  seat  beside  Colonel  Grayson  in 
Mr.  Dodge's  carriage,  there  was  a  general  excla- 
mation of  delight  at  the  vision  of  beauty  she 
presented. 

"  Oh,  Little  Sister,  how  sweet  you  look!  "  cried 
Howard,  as  he  took  her  in  his  arms  and  implanted 
a  kiss  on  the  roses  in  each  cheek.  "Again  you 
are  like  my  little  sister  of  the  old  days.'*  And  he 
whispered  something  in  her  ear,  evidently  a  mes- 
sage to  Margaret,  for  he  blushed  crimson. 

"  Yes,  yes,  only  don't  muss  me  up,  or  I  shall 
have  to  keep  father  waiting  till  I  go  back  and 
prink  again,"  she  answered,  with  feminine  solici- 
tude. 

"  Ah,  she  will  charm  Margaret  back  to  health. 
When  I  was  up  North  for  my  health,  I  saw  no 
such  beauties;  no,  siree,  they  don't  compare  !  " 
said  Mr.  Dodge,  as  he  offered  his  hand,  with  a 
flourish  of  awkward  gallantry,  to  help  her  into  the 
carriage. 

And  this  was  no  idle  flattery,  for  she  was  in- 
deed a  beautiful  creature.  Enough  above  the 
average  height  in  woman  to  be  called  tall,  wil- 
lowy enough  in  form  to  fix  the  attention  of  the 


156  In  the  Wake  of  War 


least  sentimental  observer,  there  was  yet  an  inde- 
scribable quality  that  more  attracted.  It  was  a 
sort  of  delicate,  unstudied  independence,  a  free 
spirit,  that  prompted  her,  while  out  of  doors  at 
home,  to  carry  a  sunbonnet  in  her  hand,  and  wear 
a  flower  in  her  hair;  or  to  let  her  long  blonde 
tresses  flow  to  the  wind  and  sun,  regardless  of 
tangling  and  bleaching.  But  her  face  was  not 
quite  of  classic  mold.  The  forehead  was  too  high 
and  broad  and  intellectual;  the  great  blue  eyes 
were  too  alert  for  the  proper  expression  of  lan- 
guor. Yet  every  line  and  feature  stood  unmistak- 
ably for  refinement  of  nature  and  daintiness  of 
sentiment;  every  glance  of  the  eye,  or  change  in 
the  mobile  countenance,  bespoke  intelligent  pur- 
pose and  strength  of  character.  The  man  who 
looked  at  her  must  have  said,  "Beautiful!"  If 
he  looked,  and  considered  a  moment,  he  said, 
"  Beautiful  and  strong  !  " 

This  was  the  first  appearance  of  Colonel  Gray- 
son and  daughter  in  a  wheeled  vehicle  since  the 
soldiers  had  infested  Elmington,  and  burned  the 
barns  and  their  contents.  It  was  a  beautiful 
morning  in  that  land  of  beautiful  days  and  glori- 
ous nights.  The  withering  drought  was  yet  new 
and  had  made  few  inroads  upon  nature,  which 
was,  in  her  own  peaceful  way,  still  struggling  to 
repair  the  ravages  of  war.  The  dry,  red  sun 
shone  with  threatening  splendor,  and  shaded  the 
blue  dome  of  the  heavens  with  a  cool  gray  color- 
ing. It  was  not  a  time  of  growth  —  vigorous, 
hearty,  spontaneous  growth.  There  was  in  the 
summer  air  that  peculiar  fragrance  of  premature 
ripening,  as  if  the  course  of  the  season  had  been 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  157 

interriipted,  or  as  if  harvest  had  been  }3recipi 
tated  before  its  time.  This  strange  sensation  of 
distemper  pervading  their  little  patch  of  universe 
seemed  but  a  continuation  of  the  strife  of  war, 
only  the  action  was  shifted  from  man  to  the  ele- 
ments. Intangible  though  it  was,  it  comported 
well  with  the  torn  fields,  the  gullied  hill-sides,  the 
wrecked  buildings  and  fences;  in  fact,  with  the 
permeating  and  inexorable  presence  of  destruc- 
tion. 

And  jet  there  was  peace  in  the  air.  The  songs 
of  the  thrush  and  the  oriole  were  echoed  back  by 
the  robin  and  the  lark.  The  bee  hummed  by  on 
his  industrious  mission,  and  the  countless  voices  of 
animate  nature  bespoke  no  conflict.  The  Opal 
flowed  down  the  valley  in  easy,  sweeping  curves, 
and  when  the  course  of  the  turnpike  approached 
its  side,  its  babbling  voice  contained  no  threat. 
The  encircling  hills,  fringed  with  green  that  fol- 
lowed and  softened  their  jagged  outlines,  seemed 
to  shut  out  the  wrangling,  rebellious  world,  or 
rather,  to  include  and  shelter  this  quiet  little  world 
within  their  protecting  embrace. 

These  conflicting  sentiments  of  nature  touched 
the  responsive  character  of  Mary  Lou,  and  for  a 
time  she  rode  in  silence,  almost  unconscious  of 
the  conversation  of  her  foster-father.  At  last,  as 
they  passed  a  field  in  which  fortifications  had  been 
raised  and  the  turf  all  torn  up,  he  aroused  her 
from  her  reverie. 

"How  conciliatory  is  old  Nature!  Man  cuts 
and  destroys  and  ravishes,  but  she  mends  and 
puts  forth  anew,  seeming  to  defy  his  labor  to 
deface.     Only  neglect  can  stir  her  to  resentment, 


158  In  the  Wake  of  War 

and  I  sometimes  think  that  in  this  valley  she 
would  smile  through  blue-grass  and  flowers  at  his 
indolence  and  negligence." 

' '  I  was  studying  when  you  spoke,  on  the  won- 
derful beauty  with  which  I  have  been  surrounded 
ever  since  I  can  remember.  We  do  not  ap- 
preciate, until  we  get  into  the  bleak  gray  of  the 
mountains  or  the  flat,  inanimate  prairies,  what 
lively  beauties  in  line  and  color  embower  us. 
Sure  we  can  say  with  the  poet,  '  Only  man  is  vile,' 
and  in  this  community  the  vile  man  is  of  recent 
creation.  Do  you  think,  Father,  we  shall  be 
molested  again  by  those  dreadful  officers  at 
Kosciusko  ?  " 

"I  hope  not,  my  dear,  although  their  villainy 
seems  to  know  no  bounds.  They  seemed  deter- 
mined to  drive  us  to  resentment.  I  am  getting  to 
agree  with  Major  Lewis  that  this  persecution  has 
a  purpose:  to  create  a  disturbance  that  they  may 
have  something  to  report  to  the  Federal  authori- 
ties. If  everything  here  is  quiet,  their  occupations 
are  gone,  and  they  will  be  sent  home  to  work  for 
a  living.  But  after  I  take  the  oath  of  allegiance 
perhaps  we  shall  be  in  better  standing.  We  shall 
hope  so  at  least." 

"  I  was  thinking  how  unfortunate  it  would  be 
if  we  were  disturbed  after  Margaret  is  brought 
home,  especially  if  she  is  in  bad  health.  I  am  so 
troubled  about  her  !  I  ought  to  have  spoken  of 
her  condition  before,  but  she  bound  me  to  perfect 
silence.  Why,  I  don't  know,  but  for  some  rea- 
son on  account  of  brother,  I  reckon.  She  sent 
me  a  sealed  packet  in  her  last  letter  that  was  to 
be  given  to  Howard,  in  case  she  never  lived  to 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  159 

return.  She  did  not  seem  to  think  she  was  going 
to  die,  bnt  was  anxious  to  provide  for  the  worst. 
And  in  case  she  recovered,  she  wanted  him  never 
to  know  of  the  packet  or  its  contents.  So,  there, 
I  have  told  all  my  secret  without  intending  to  tell 
anything." 

"  But  that  is  not  serious, "answered  the  Colonel. 
"I  am  placing  great  store  on  the  safe  return  of 
Margaret,  for  then  our  immediate  circle  is  again 
complete.  We  have  worlds  to  be  thankful  for. 
Our  property  losses  are  heavy,  our  sufferings  from 
privations  have  been  keen,  and  the  humiliations 
and  insults  often  intolerable,  but  oui-  families  are 
unbroken.  In  this  we  can  give  thanks  beyond 
any  other  like  community  in  the  South,  I 
reckon." 

"That  is  true,  Father;  but  we  never  are  quite 
satisfied.  There  always  is  something  to  be  wished 
for  that  absorbs  our  thoughts  almost  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  gratitude.  Now,  it  is  the  fear  that  this 
change  in  the  affairs  of  the  South  will  change  our 

customs.      1  know  little  of   the    North I  have 

known  very  few  Yankees  — but  those  whom  I 
have  seen  are  so  much  like  Mr.  Dodge  has  been 
since  he  returned.  Why,  he  really  seemed  more 
solicitous  about  that  paltry  deed  than  he  did  about 
Margaret's  health,  or  life  even.  Shall  we  ever 
fall  to  that  level,  do  you  think  ?  "  asked  Mary  Lou, 
with  genuine  anxiety. 

In  fact  that  was  the  question  of  the  hour  tor  the 

educated  portion  of  a  great  people,  inhabiting  the 

stretch  of  country  lying  south  of  the  Ohio  River. 

"That  is  the  problem  that  time  and  the  course 

of  events  will  have  to  settle.     I  can  not  proph- 


160  In  the  Wake  of  War 

esy  what  the  end  will  be.  There  has  been  a 
marvelous  change  in  our  material  condition,  and 
historians  always  have  laid  great  stress  on  the  fact 
that  material  surroundings  affect  a  people's  civili- 
zation. If  we  are  able  to  withstand  the  encroach- 
ments of  greed,  we  shall  demonstrate  that  we  have 
what  we  have  so  long  claimed:  the  highest  and 
most  genuine  civilization  the  world  ever  has  seen. 
But  if  we  fall  into  the  commercial  spirit  of  the 
North,  it  will  show  that  our  civilization  depended 
on  the  questionable  institution  of  human  slavery. 
For  one,  I  believe  in  the  honesty  and  sincerity  of 
our  social  fabric,  and  that  we  shall  continue,  as 
we  have  been,  the  social  and  intellectual  leaders 
of  this  great  country." 

"I  hope  so,  Father!"  answered  Mary  Lou. 
"It  seems  like  everybody  here  is  talking  about 
this  matter,  and  that  there  is  a  great  variety  of 
opinion." 

They  had  reached  town,  and  Colonel  Grayson 
drove  straight  to  the  office  of  the  Provost-Marshal 
to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  This  dignitary, 
Christopher  Samson,  by  name,  had  not  been  satis- 
fied with  quarters  in  one  of  the  many  vacant  store 
buildings  in  Kosciusko,  but  had  gone  to  the  very 
outskirts  of  the  city  and  had  forcibly  entered  and 
taken  possession  of  the  finest  place  in  that  section 
of  Tennessee,  temporarily  vacant. 

The  Bosworth  house  had  been  for  many  years 
the  richest  in  Williams  County.  Built  and  fur- 
nished with  a  degree  of  cost  and  extravagance 
beyond  any  other  home  in  the  vicinity,  its  osten- 
tation had  made  for  Mr.  Bosworth  the  title  of  the 
"Tennessee    Yankee."       But    now    every    male 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  161 

member  of  the  family  was  dead,  and  the  mother 
and  daughter,  on  their  return  from  the  far  South, 
found  their  house  occupied  by  the  Provost-Mar- 
shal and  his  gang,  their  furniture  and  ornaments, 
sacred  as  adjuncts  of  a  once  happy  homo,  profaned 
by  ill  use,  and  themselves  denied  the  right  of 
entrauce.  Every  entreaty  and  demand  for  posses- 
sion was  met  with  boorish  assertion  of  authority, 
and  they  became  in  consequence  dependent  on  the 
hospitality  of  old  neighbors,  while  they  waged 
unequal  contest  for  their  own.  It  was  little  won- 
der that  they  asked  of  the  great  man,  and  of 
themselves,  over  and  over  again:  "What  have  we 
done  that  these  remaining  ties  to  a  happiness  that 
can  be  only  a  memory,  should  be  denied  us  ? " 

But  the  man  of  the  strong  name  only  answered: 
"It  suits  me  to  stay  here,  and  the  Government 
needs  the  house."     And  there  the  matter  rested. 

When  Colonel  Grayson  drove  up  to  the  great 
house,  there  was  no  sign  of  life  within.  Doors 
were  closed  and  curtains  were  drawn,  to  all  appear- 
ances as  the  surviving  Bosworths  had  left  them 
when  they  carried  their  grief  to  the  gulf  shore,  a 
year  before.  Even  the  patrol  from  the  neighbor- 
ing camp,  that  had  stood  watch  and  ward  by  day 
and  night  over  this  precious  officer  of  the  Federal 
Government,  had  been  withdrawn,  for  no  sentry 
challenged  their  entrance.  But  the  Colonel  was 
there  for  a  purpose,  and  knew  full  well  that  it  was 
already  past  hours  for  the  opening  of  ordinary 
business,  so  he  got  down  from  the  carriage  and 
gave  the  great  brass  knocker  a  fevv^  lusty  whacks. 
A  negro  porter  opened  the  door,  after  peeping 
from    behind   curtains  and   undoing    some  heavy 


162  In  the  Wake  of  war 


bars,  placed  there  by  the  present  occupant.  He 
proved  to  be  no  other  than  James,  a  yellow- 
skinned  negro  who  had  been  a  refractory  slave 
at  Elmmgton,  and  who  had  led  his  brethren  in  a 
body,  except  Uncle  Phil  and  Aunt  Manda,  out  of 
captivity  the  first  dark  night  after  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau  began  giving  free  rations  at  Kosciusko. 

"  Mawnin',  Marster;  mawnin',  Miss  Mary  Lou," 
he  said,  forgetting  his  independence  and  new- 
taught  equality,  and  dropping  unconsciously  into 
the  servility  of  a  slave. 

' '  Good-morning,  Jamos !  Where  is  the  Provost- 
Marshal  this  morning?  "  asked  Colonel  Grayson, 

"  De  Gunnel  not  outn  baid  yit,  Marster.  He 
doan  git  up  no  how  'till  'bout  dis  time  de  day," 
said  James,  looking  up  at  the  sun,  for  with  all  his 
new  learning  he  had  not  been  taught  to  use  the 
clock.  "An'  dis  mawnin'  I  reckons  hit '11  be 
later,  case  he  hed  a  party  las'  night  dat  hild  tol'a- 
blelate. "  And  with  perceptible  pride  the  Afri- 
can told  how,  on  the  previous  night,  the  Provost- 
Marshal  had  given  an  orgie  in  honor  of  Captain 
Brewster,  until  to-day  in  command  of  the  com- 
pany of  Federal  soldiers  that  had  been  stationed 
there  for  some  months.  ' '  Dey  sutnly  mus'  hev 
drunk  a  power  of  liquor,  fo'  yo'  nerr  seen  sech 
a  muss.  Em-ra,  de  ca'pets  an'  cu'tains  an'  fur- 
nitur',  all  ruin';  but  dey  doan  keer  fo'  dat,  de 
Gov'ment  furnish  de  money.  Dey  mus'  been 
monst'ous  seek.  All  de  gemnien  of  de  Bureau, 
Cap'n  Jonas  Smiff,  an'  all  de  big  men  wus  hyear, 
'cept  Cap'n  Av'ry,  he  doan  come.*' 

"Who  is  Captain  Avery,  James?"  asked 
Colonel  Grayson,  with  some  surprise. 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  163 

"  Our  Cap'n  Av'rj,  Marster.  He  come  to  take 
Cap'n  Brewster  place,"  said  James,  in  a  rather 
loud  tone,  proud  that  he  could  impart  knowledge 
to  his  late  owner. 

"  Is  tliat  jou  talking  down  there,  Jim  ?  "  asked 
a  thick,  heavy  voice  from  a  room  up  stairs. 

"I  reckons  hit  war,"  answered  James,  in  a 
much   subdued  tone. 

"Well,  shut  your  damned  mouth  and  go  about 
your  business,  or  I  '11  come  down  there  and  break 
every  bone  in  your  accursed  carcass.  If  you  don't 
know  better  than  to  disturb  me  when  I  'm  asleep, 
I'll  learn  you.      Now  shut  up!" 

"  Dat 's  him,"  whispered  James. 

"But  it  is  important  that  I  see  him,"  said 
Colonel  Grayson.  "I  am  here  on  business  per- 
taining to  his  office,  and  must  attend  to  it  before 
noon." 

"  Did  n't  I  tell  you  to  shut  your  black  mouth  ?  " 
came  the  thick,  inebriated  voice  from  behind  the 
curtains. 

"A  gemmen  wan'  to  see  yo'  on  business,  he 
say,"  said  James,   in  most  humble  manner. 

"Tell  him  to  come  back  in  two  hours,  and  then 
keep  still,  you  damned  fool,  nigger,"  answered 
the  beastly  voice  from  above. 

Colonel  Grayson  took  his  seat  in  the  carriage 
and  drove  out  of  the  yard,  lest  Mary  Lou  should 
be  obliged  to  listen  to  more  offensive  conversa- 
tion, for  the  voice  foreboded  any  possible  de- 
pravity. 

' '  Let 's  drive  down  to  where  the  negroes  are 
living,  if  you  are  willing,  Father.  I  should  like 
to  see  some  of  our  old  slaves." 


164  In  the  Wake  of  War 

At  the  time  this  history  is  laid  there  was  not  in 
Kosciusko,  nor  in  any  other  city  of  the  South,  that 
peculiar  subdivision  subject  to  overflow  in  the 
spring  and  to  chills  and  fever  the  rest  of  the  year, 
now  known  as  the  "  Negro  Quarter."  There  were 
few  cabins  or  houses  in  which  the  negroes  could 
live,  as  only  a  small  proportion  of  townspeople 
had  been  able  to  own  and  keep  slaves.  To  the 
time  of  his  liberation  the  African  was  a  country- 
man, a  child  and  lovor  of  nature.  He  took  on 
the  city  habit  with  other  virtues  in  the  job-lot  of 
free  and  enlightened  citizenship.  There  were  not 
in  the  city  of  Kosciusko  suitable  accommodations 
for  more  than  two  hundred  negroes,  and  these,  by 
reason  of  the  progenitive  wealth  of  the  colored 
race,  were  always  filled  to  overflowing. 

But  this  condition  had  no  terrors.  For  when 
Liberty  —  her  pockets  bulging  with  Government 
rations  —  stretched  forth  her  jewelled  hand  and 
beckoned  them  to  a  life  of  indolence,  they  an- 
swered the  call  without  a  thought  of  where  they 
should  lay  their  heads.  They  came  by  hundreds, 
for  the  most  part  without  the  .providence  to  bring 
such  household  appliances  as  their  cabins  on  the 
plantations  contained.  Here  was  food  from  Uncle 
Sam's  abundant  storehouse,  free  for  the  asking, 
and  no  work! 

What  more  could  they  want  ? 

To  eat,  and  not  to  work,  had  been  the  dream 
of  the  unfortunate  race. 

But  they  were  equal  to  the  crisis.  Every  rod  of 
fence  made  the  side  wall  of  a  house,  perhaps  the 
only  wall  it  had;  and  poles,  covered  with  brush 
or  old  army  blankets,  made  the  roof.     Here  they 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  165 

slept,  when  not  loafing  or  attending  secret  meet- 
ings for  instruction  in  citizenship,  with  all  the 
unconcern  of  the  happy  race  they  are.  These 
rude  quarters  were  mostly  in  alleys,  because  of 
the  high  fences  that  were  so  essential  to  their 
architecture  and  construction,  and  fully  two  thou- 
sand persons  occupied  them. 

To  this  improvised  town  Colonel  Grayson  drove, 
after  learning  the  business  methods  of  the  Provost- 
Marshal.  He  enquired  for  some  of  his  old  slaves, 
and  a  dozen  loungers  volunteered  to  show  the 
way,  but  it  was  up  the  alley,  and  he  could  not 
drive  there.  He  helped  Mary  Lou  from  the  car- 
riage, and  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  the  team 
in  charge  of  some  of  the  negroes,  but  she  said  : 
"No,  Father,  I  can  go  alone;  it  is  only  a  step. 
I  will  keep  you  but  a  few  moments." 

The  dozen  that  had  offered  to  show  the  way 
were  augmented  when  she  set  forth  by  as  many 
more,  until  she  led  a  real  cavalcade  up  the  wind- 
ing foot-path.  At  the  first  turn  in  the  path  she 
met  face  to  face.  Captain  Avery. 

The  surprise  of  the  meeting  was  mutual,  and 
neither  had  time  to  conceal  emotions;  but  the 
feminine  mind  rallies  quickest  from  surprise  or 
predicament,  and  she  said:  "Good-morning, 
Captain  Avery,"  in  the  most  commonplace  man- 
ner imaginable. 

"  Good-morning,  Miss  Grayson,  this  is  a  pleas- 
ant surprise  to  me.  How  have  you  been  since  I 
saw  you  last?"  And  he  stood  in  the  path, 
barring  the  way. 

"Thank  you,  very  well,  sir.  There  has  been 
plenty  of  color  in  life,  but  it  has  been  about  as  it 


166  In  the  Wake  of  War 

was  when  you  were  encamped  at  Elmiugton  —  no 
material  change,  only  a  little  variety  of  shading." 

"  You  seem  to  be  going  through  this  labyrinth 
of  huts  unattended;  may  I  be  your  escort?"  he 
asked,  stepping  to  one  side  to  allow  her  to  pass. 

"It  is  unnecessary,  thank  you,  for  I  am  entirely 
at  home  with  these  poor  people.  Besides,  these 
scenes  might  suggest  to  you,  that,  as  an  officer  in 
the  Federal  army,  you  may  have  had  something  to 
do  with  bringing  about  the  terrible  conditions  that 
prevail  in  this  alley.  I  should  not  love  to  witness 
an  awakening  of  your  conscience.  I  will  save  an 
argument  by  admitting  that  you  have  one,"  she 
answered,  and  there  was  a  tinge  of  sarcasm  in  her 
voice  and  manner. 

"A  challenge  almost  before  you  say  good- 
morning  !  Now  unless  you  point-blank  forbid,  I 
shall  act  as  your  military  escort.  Shall  you  never 
forgive  me  for  being  a  Yankee,  and  a  member  of 
the  Federal  army  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  easier  to  pray  for  those  who  perse- 
cute us,  than  even  to  tolerate  om*  enemies.  But  if 
you  think  a  military  escort  will  add  dignity  to  my 
already  cumbersome  train,  I  will  accept  the  service 
with  becoming  consideration."  And  Mary  Lou 
started  on  up  the  alley,  the  Captain  and  darkies 
following.  "lam  looking  for  some  of  our  old 
slaves,"  she  continued,  "and  I  have  been  told 
that  they  are  some  place  near  the  heart  of  this 
model  Yankee  city." 

"  Had  you  any  better  neighbors  after  our  com- 
mand left  Elmington  ? "  he  asked,  willing  to 
change   the  subject. 

"  Oh,  no,  '  better  '  is  not  the  word  —  '  worse  ' 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  167 

is  wliat  you  mean  to  ask.  None  are  better;  you 
are  all  bad,  but  some  are  worse  than  others,  and 
toward  the  end  you  were  bad  beyond  expression. 
We  suffered  enough,  although  I  will  admit  that 
some  of  the  officers  made  honest  efforts  to  reduce 
the  volume  of  our  woe,"  she  said,  half  banteringly. 

"  Yery  kind  of  you,  I  am  sure,  but  no  more 
than  I  expected  you  to  feel,  whether  you  would 
admit  it  or  not.  Have  you  been  annoyed  of 
late  ? "  he  enquired,  with  a  view  of  continuing 
the  conversation  in  his  own  direction. 

"Not  right  lately,  by  Federal  soldiers.  The 
County  Guards  have  not  so  entirely  ignored  us  as 
we  would  like  them  to  do." 

' '  I  am  detailed  now  to  command  the  troops  at 
this  point,  and  I  shall  hope,  by  putting  a  little 
heart  into  the  business,  to  give  it  a  different  face. 
That  is  the  plan  of  General  Thomas,"  said  the 
Captain, 

"Father  has  great  confidence  in  the  justice  of 
General  Thomas,  although  we  did  not  feel  quite 
right  when  he  deserted  his  State  for  the  Federals. 
But  that  was  four  years  ago.  I  hope.  Captain 
Avery,  you  will  find  your  new  occupation  a  pleas- 
ant one." 

Avery's  answer  never  will  be  made,  for  he  was 
cut  clean  out  of  the  conversation  by  a  tall,  lean 
negro  woman,  who  stood  in  the  alley  a  short  dis- 
tance ahead  of  them,  with  arms  akimbo,  scolding 
a  parcel  of  young  ones  that  seemed  to  have  raised 
her  easy  wrath.  In  the  heat  of  her  tirade  she 
chanced  to  look  up  from  the  business  in  hand  and 
caught  sight  of  Mary  Lou. 

"Fo'  de  love  of  Gawd,  honey,  what  yo'  come 


168  In  thf  Wake  of  War 


to  dis  mis'able  place  fo'  ? "  And  her  tone  and 
manner  had  undergone  a  change  as  complete  as  it 
was  sudden.  "Dis  no  place  fo'  a  leddj  likes  yo', 
honey;  but  I 's  mighty  proud  to  seeyo'.  I  knowed 
yo'  nerr  fo'git  yo'  Aunt  Harr'et.  I  done  tole 
Rufus  80,  I  did.  I  wants  to  come  back  to  Mars 
Kodeny,  I  does,  indeed,  but  Rufus  won' ;  he  got 
shet  of  wuck,  an'  dat  's  all  he  wan'.  How  is 
yo'-all  ?  Mars  Howard  home?  Mars  Rodeny 
well?  I 's  mighty  proud  to  see  yo'!"  And  the 
tears  streamed  down  her  black  face. 

Mary  Lou  gave  her  all  the  information  asked 
for,  spoke  kindly  to  the  children,  and  showed 
such  genuine  interest  in  them  all  that  the  poor 
negro  woman  broke  into  sobs. 

"I  nerr  wanted  to  leave,  Rufus  wen"  plumb 
'stracted  'bout  lib'ty,  an  dis  is  hit,  I  reckon,"  she 
said  between  sobs,  with  a  wave  of  her  hand  up 
and  down  the  alley.  ' '  Please  caint  we  come  back, 
Miss  Mary  Lou?  I  be  de  bes'  nigger  yo'  err  seen. 
But  Rufus  won'  come.  He  president  de  League, 
an'    'lows   he   goan    to  Congris,   or    somewhar." 

"But  don't  the  children  go  to  school.  Aunt 
Harriet  ?  They  ought  to  be  learning  all  they  can 
now,"  said  Mary  Lou. 

"  Naw,  Miss,  I  doan  wan'  dem  go  to  school. 
Day  doan  wan'  no  eddycation.  Dey  wan'  some 
one  to  beat  'em  an'  learn  'em  to  wuck,  dat 's  what 
dey  wan'.  'Sides  I  doan  wan'  'em  go  to  school 
to  no  Yankee  school-marm  —  dem  nigger  ekality 
folks.  My  chil'ens  learn  to  read  from  a  leddy, 
thet's  yo'self,  honey.  Leastwise,  dat's  what  I 
tole  one  of  dem  Yankee  teachers  dat  wan'  little 
Epham  to  come  to  school." 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  169 

The  interview  lasted  some  minutes,  and  throu^^h 
it  all  the  militarj  escort  stood  with  head  un- 
covered, and  mouth  as  wide  agape  as  any  of  the 
score  of  nesfro  lounorers.  He  knew  from  his  four 
years'  observation  in  the  South  that  the  only  true 
sympathy  and  interest  the  black  man  could  claim 
lay  in  the  heart  of  the  native  white  man  and 
woman  of  that  Section,  Yet  every  demonstration 
like  the  one  he  was  witnessing  only  showed  to  him 
how  impossible  it  was  for  men  of  his  breeding  to 
comprehend  it.  What  he  now  saw  was  a  sponta- 
neous outburst  of  inborn  affection  and  not  a  show 
—  there  was  nothing  theatrical  or  studied  about  it. 
But  he  never  had  experienced  like  emotions,  and 
while  he  could  not  understand  them,  he  was  com- 
pelled again  to  acknowledge  their  existence  and 
sincerity. 

"How  different,"  he  asked  himself,  "is  this 
interest  from  that  exercised  by  people  of  the 
North,  who  perhaps  never  have  known  in  all  their 
lives  half  a  dozen  negroes,  and  who  never  have 
known  the  relation  of  Master  and  Man  ?  What 
do  they  know  about  the  matter  of  slavery,  beyond 
the  bare,  cold  fact  that  a  white  man  owned  a  black 
man  ?  What  do  they  care  ?  What  interest  have 
they  in  the  negro  anyway,  more  than  an  abstract 
interest  ?  And  an  abstract  interest  is  little  better 
than  contempt.  The  more  I  see,  the  more  I  be- 
lieve that  ownership  is  but  an  incident,  almost  an 
accident.  These  people  love  and  understand  each 
other.  Perhaps  this  whole  business  of  Liberty  is 
a  mistake  —  in  the  light  of  this  miserable  alley  it 
surely  is.  One  thing  is  certain,"  he  continued  to 
himself,  "all  talk  of   separating  the  negro  from 


170  In  the  Wake  of  War 


his  late  master  is  worse  than  folly;  it  would  be 
criminal.  That  the  negro  will  return  to  his  old 
quarters,  after  we  get  through  with  this  cheap 
show  of  charity,  is   inevitable,  and  it  is  right." 

But  Captain  Avery  was  a  soldier  by  education 
and  profession,  and  never  had  thought  of  looking 
into  the  political  designs  that  might  require  the 
slaughter  of  half  the  white  men  of  the  South. 
The  necessities  of  the  politicians  were  not  then 
manifest,  but  whatever  should  develop,  those  de- 
signing and  directing  affairs  were  ready  to  order 
the  adequate  sacrifice.  Just  now  it  was  the 
humiliation  of  the  whites,  and  the  stilting  of  the 
blacks;  and  being  on\y  a  soldier  he  had  not  seen 
that  he  was  expected  to  play  his  part,  innocently, 
perhaps,  in  this  game  of  politics. 

After  Mary  Lou  had  taken  from  her  scant  store 
a  few  pieces  of  small  change  to  cheer  the  old 
slave,  she  turned  to  go  away,  and  her  escorts, 
both  military  and  engineering,  fell  into  line  with- 
out orders  or  comment.  Her  mood  was,  as  she 
chose  to  make  it,  reflective.  Captain  Avery  was 
still  wrestling  with  the  inexplicable  problem  of 
sentiment,  so  that  the  procession  moved  in  silence, 
except  that  Mary  Lou  had  a  word  of  sympathy  for 
every  negro  woman  she  met  on  the  way.  At  last 
he  broke  out:  "Can  you  explain  to  me  the  won- 
derful bond  of  affection  and  confidence  existing 
between  you  and  that  ignorant  negro  woman  ?  I 
would  give  much  to  know  how  such  a  thing  is  pos- 
sible. I  never  had  it  for  one  whom  I  thought  so 
palpably  my  social  and  intellectual  inferior,  but  in 
this  case  there  is  the  added  inferiority  of  race  and 
the  inborn  dislike  of  color.     What  is  it?  " 


The  Sight  of  a  Boom  Town  171 

"That  comes  because  jour  heart  is  not  right. 
We  are  told  that  figs  do  not  grow  on  thorn  bushes. 
Had  you  ever  thought  to  study  the  subject  by 
parable?  But  seriously,  I  can  not  explain  it,  al- 
though I  am  proud  of  its  influence.  I  would  make 
almost  any  sacrifice  for  any  one  of  our  old  slaves, 
even  now.  They  deserted  us  indecently,  but  they 
are  not  to  blame  for  that.  It  was  the  work  of 
Yankees;  the  fij-st  step  toward  what  you  call  a 
higher  civilization." 

"But  I  can  not  command  any  confidence  with 
the  creatures.  They  seem  to  look  upon  me  with 
suspicion,"  he  said,  with  self-deprecatory  frank- 
ness. 

' '  Oh,  that  comes  because  you  seek  confidence 
without  deserving  it,"  she  answered,  tantaliz- 
ingly.  "  You  don't  know  them.  Aunt  Harriet 
has  scolded  me  as  roundly  as  she  was  scolding 
those  children,  more  times  than  I  can  guess,  yet 
I  love  her." 

"That  adds  to  my  perplexity.  Won't  you 
give  me  further  instruction  in  the  matter  ?  May 
I  come  out  to  Elmington  for  a  lesson  ?  "  he 
asked,  glad  of  an  excuse. 

"  Elmington  is  always  open  to  guests;  but  you 
are  a  hopeless  pupil.  You  will  have  to  expe- 
rience a  change  of  heart,  I  am  certain,  before  it 
would  be  worth  while  to  give  any  time  to  instruc- 
tion." 

"Ah,  there  is  your  father!  Good-morning, 
Colonel  Grayson!  I  hope  you  are  well,   sir." 

"Very  well,  thank  you,  sir,"  answered  Colo- 
nel Grayson,  with  his  usual  deliberation  of 
speech.      "There  are  few  of  our  enemies  whom 


172  In  the  Wake  of  War 

I  ever  expected  to  take  pleasure  in  seeing  again, 
Captain  Avery,  but  you  are  one  of  those  who  left 
a  pleasant  impression  after  you  had  gone.  In 
fact,  sir,  if  you  will  pardon  my  frankness,  we 
appreciated  you  best  after  you  had  gone,  by  com- 
paring you  with  your  successors.  I  am  heartily 
glad  to  meet  you  again,   sir!  " 

"Thank  you,  Colonel  Grayson.  I  am  glad 
you  were  generous  enough  to  overlook  little 
irregularities,  and  to  mark  the  line  between  neces- 
sity and  persecution." 

"I  have  been  a  soldier,  and  I  think  I  know 
what  belongs  to  an  honest  discharge  of  duty. 
Have  you  invited  Captain  Avery  to  call  at 
Elmington,   Daughter?" 

"He  said  he  was  coming." 

"The  same  in  effect,  Captain  Avery.  We 
shall  be  glad  to  see  you,  sir,  at  your  convenience 
or  pleasure."     And  they  drove  away. 

After  a  call  on  Anton  Nelson,  Colonel  Gray- 
son returned  to  the  ofHce  of  the  Provost-Marshal 
and  took  the  formidable  oath  of  allegiance,  which 
Captain  Samson  administered"  with  much  whole- 
some advice.  Samson  was  of  that  class  of  per- 
sons who  can  not  recognize  the  difference  between 
character  and  meat.  It  has  not  yet  occurred  to 
him,  if  he  is  still  living,  that  he  was  lecturing 
a  soul  so  lofty,  that  he  could  not,  in  his  high- 
est flight  of  sentiment,  reach  it  at  its  lowest 
depression. 


XV 

"Forty  Acres  and  a  Mule" 

THAT  very  night  after  Colonel  Grayson  had 
gone,  Pleas  slipped  off  as  soon  as  it  was  dark 
and  made  for  Kosciusko  by  a  near  cut  through  the 
fields.  His  determination  to  become  a  member 
of  the  League  was  put  to  early  execution,  and  he 
wavered  no  more  in  the  act  than  he  had  done  in 
the  plan.  It  was  an  easy  matter  for  a  negro  of 
Pleas's  standing  to  gain  entrance  in  one  night 
into  all  the  mysteries  of  this  benevolent  and 
patriotic  order.  Numbers  were  sought,  and  the 
strength  of  membership  was  entirely  a  matter  of 
enrollment.  It  could  not  be  otherwise,  for  intelli- 
gence was  avoided. 

In  most  places  there  was  a  meeting  once  a  week, 
but  as  Kosciusko  was  headquarters  of  the  Freed- 
men's  Bureau  for  that  section,  and  large  numbers 
of  negroes  were  flocking  to  its  paternal  banner, 
the  League  was  kept  tolerably  active  to  enroll  and 
instruct  the  candidates.  So  scarce  a  night  passed, 
except  of  a  Sunday,  without  a  round  quorum  in 
attendance  and  the  routine  of  initiation  and  in- 
struction being  worked  in  all  its  pompous  glory. 

It  must  have  been  a  strange  sight,  this  assem- 
blage of  maybe  a  hundred  black  men,  not  half  a 
dozen  of  whom  could  read  a  lesson  in  Mc  Guffey's 
"First  Reader,"  attempting  to  go  through  the 
stilted  verbiage  of  a  secret  society's  ritual.  Yet 
such  was  the  wisdom  that  directed  the  first  steps  of 

173 


174  In  the  Wake  of  War 

the  deluded  negro  toward  the  devious  paths  of  citi- 
zenship. But  it  served  a  purpose.  It  kept  him 
out  of  other  mischief  at  a  time  when  malicious 
mischief  w^as  encouraged  by  his  instructors.  The 
mysteries  suited  the  superstitious  nature  of  the 
African,  and  the  less  he  understood,  the  greater 
the  mystery  and  the  stronger  the  fascination.  If 
it  was  honestly  intended  to  stimulate  in  him  a 
spirit  of  independence  toward  his  old  master,  and 
failed,  it  did  the  next  best  thing:  it  created  a 
spirit  of  vengeance,  and  this  could  be  turned  to 
political  use,  which  was   really  the  end    sought. 

Pleas  arrived  early  at  the  school-house,  and 
had  no  trouble  to  secure  the  endorsement  of 
negroes,  already  members,  to  his  application. 
Inside  of  an  hour  he  had  been  conducted  from 
station  to  station,  had  taken  oaths  of  fearful  but 
unknown  import,  and  was  seated  on  a  bench,  a 
full-fledged  Leaguer,  listening  to  an  edifying 
harangue  on  the  then  absorbing  topic:  "Forty 
Acres  and  a  Mule."  The  orator  was  a  white  man 
who  had  been  with  the  army  of  Thomas,  and  he 
made  frequent  allusion  to  the  ^'  dear  old  flag"  that 
he  had  followed  so  faithfully,  and  forgot  not  to 
tell  his  hearers  how,  when  he  struck,  the  shackles 
fell  from  four  million  pairs  of  wrists.  A  soldier, 
did  you  ask  ?  Oh,  no,  a  sutler !  The  men  who 
struck  blows  on  the  front  line  were  then  quietly  at 
home,  or  sleeping  in  unmarked  graves! 

But  such  had  been  the  genesis  of  the  League. 
It  was  organized  and  manned  from  the  first  by 
stay-at-homes,  who  loved  the  flag  and  who  hoped 
to  keep  it  floating  over  their  places  of  business, 
while  they  filled  government  contracts  in  the  rear 


"Forty  Acres  and  a  Mule"  175 

and  sent  proxies  to  the  front.  It  had  served  a 
political  purpose,  perhaps  a  good  one.  It  had 
solidified  the  support  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  aiding  in 
his  re-election.  This  meant  the  prosecution  of 
the  war  and  the  awarding  of  more  government 
contracts.  The  second  clause  of  the  proposition 
created  much  patriotism  in  the  order.  Then,  too, 
it  had  suppressed  an  impotent  uprising  or  two  of 
unorganized  "Copperheads,"  but  it  never  had 
spread  with  popularity  amongst  those  who  had 
courage  to  don  a  uniform.  The  soldier  wants  no 
bolted  doors,  no  dim  candle-light,  no  whispered 
oaths,  no  grips  and  knocks.  An  open  field  and  a 
fair  fight  better  suit  the  stuff  of  which  he  is  made. 
So  the  order  lost  no  dignity  in  being  trans- 
planted into  the  sterile  soil  of  total  ignorance; 
and,  being  wholly  mouthy  and  flatulent  from 
inception,  it  had  nothing  substantial  to  impart. 
And  more  was  the  pity!  For  it  spread  until  it 
had  compassed  the  freedman.  It  promised  him 
impossible  and  useless  things,  simply  to  hold  his 
attention  temporarily,  and  when  he  awoke  he  saw 
with  his  practical,  unschooled  wisdom,  that  this 
chanting,  canting  sophistry  had  done  him  no 
good,  but  had  tended  to  widen  the  gulf  between 
him  and  his  natural  and  logical  friend  and  sup- 
porter, the  native  white  man  of  the  South.  If 
the  thing  had  ever  had  within  it  the  spirit  of  self- 
denial  and  patriotism,  results  might  have  been 
different;  but  it  was  conceived  in  greed  and  nur- 
tured in  selfishness,  and  while  the  original  pur- 
pose of  such  a  movement  may  deteriorate,  it 
never  can  rise  above  the  principle  from  which  it 
springs. 


176  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Tho  performauce  to  which  Pleas  was  treated, 
after  the  inexplicable  ceremony  of  initiation  had 
been  blunderingly  rehearsed,  consisted  of  speeches 
interspersed  with  music  and  a  sort  of  general 
catechism  on  political  dogma.  The  orator  of  the 
evening  had  made  a  cheap  hit  by  showing  the 
freedmen  how  easy  it  was  for  them  to  get  what 
they  had  been  taught  to  think  they  needed,  and 
were  qualified  to  receive  —  a  small  farm  and  a  mule 
with  which  to  work  it.  "  You,  gentlemen,  know 
how  to  work,"  he  said,  addressing  the  black  men 
of  his  audience.  "  You  have  been  brought  up  to 
work  for  other  men,  or  take  a  flogging.  Now 
you  shall  work  for  yourselves  when  you  work  at 
all,  and  when  you  don't  feel  like  it,  just  turn  the 
old  mule  out  to  bait  and  take  a  nap  under  your 
own  spreading  oak  tree.  No  brutal  overseer  will 
then  come  along  with  a  cat-o'-nine-tails  and  beat 
you.  When  will  we  get  the  land,  did  I  hear 
some  of  you  ask  ?  The  dear  old  flag  that  struck 
the  shackles  from  your  wrists  will  provide  that 
in  good  time.  Trust  the  flag.  These  old  aris- 
tocrats owning  this  beautiful  valley  don't  need 
all  of  their  land.  They  are  broke,  dead  broke. 
They  have  no  slaves,  thank  God!  They  can't 
work  it  by  themselves,  they  are  too  lazy.  It  will 
be  ours,  for  we  conquered  them.  We  shall  have 
an  order  from  Congress  to  parcel  out  these  lands 
to  you,  gentlemen.  Just  wait  a  few  days  for  the 
orders.  You  can  trust  us,  gentlemen,  for  we 
gave  you  liberty.  Wait  patiently  for  the  order, 
and  when  it  comes,  strike  for  a  home.  We  are 
your  friends;  those  who  worked  and  flogged 
you  for  nothing  are  your  eternal  enemies." 


"Forty  Acres  and  a  Mule"  177 

And  he  rambled  on  with  this  sentiment  for  an 
hour,  evidently  knowing  the  negro's  weakness  for 
repetitions  and  measured  cadence  of  speech;  until, 
as  he  lashed  himself  into  physical  excitement  and 
became  violent  with  gesticulation,  some  of  the 
more  inflammable  natures  responded  to  his  elo- 
quence with  shuffling  of  brogaus  and  shouts  of 
approval:  "Come  down,  Mars  Ab'am!"  "I  wants 
a  clay-bank  mule,  Mars  Liuckum!  "  and  the  like. 
Encouraged,  he  turned  into  his  well  prepared  and 
rehearsed  peroration.  It  was  a  masterly  produc- 
tion for  such  an  audience.  He  had  proved  its  efii- 
cacy  on  many  similar  occasions.  As  he  proceeded, 
the  place  became  the  real  Pandemonium.  Nearly 
all  were  shouting,  or  screaming,  or  groaning. 
Several  had  the  power  and  swung  their  senseless 
heads  from  side  to  side,  emitting  the  most  diabol- 
ical yells;  others  rolled  and  tumbled,  ridiculous 
masses  on  the  floor.  And  over  and  above  this 
asinine  bedlam  rang  out  the  husky  voice  of  the 
priest  and  prophet  of  the  sutler's  camp  —  the  tri- 
umphant orator  of  the  evening. 

When,  at  last,  his  pond  had  run  dry,  and  most 
of  the  negroes  had  hushed  themselves  to  quiet, 
they  filed  past  him  and  each  shook  his  hand  and 
warmly  congratulated  him  on  his  effort.  "Hit 
war  a  blessed  season."  "Come  to  'tracted  meetin' 
nex'  month,  Brudder  Jimson,"  and  other  like 
words  of  encouragement  were  mixed  with  their 
congratulations.  And  a  Northern  gentleman  in 
the  room,  who  had  been  sent  South  to  study  tlie 
negro  question,  but  who  had  never  seen  a  negro 
revival,  looked  on  all  this  and  wrote  back:  "Tire 
black  man  is  awfully  in  earnest  about  preserving 

12 


178  In  the  Wake  of  War 


his  liberty.  If  you  had  been  with  me  to-night, 
and  had  seen  the  ahnost  wild  enthusiasm  with 
which  he  received  every  allusion  to  the  dear  old 
flag,  you  would  agree  with  me  that  to  his  crude, 
but  sincere  patriotism,  must  be  entrusted  the  des- 
tinies of  these  Southern  States.  I  know  that  there 
are  some  who  maintain  that  political  power  with- 
out intelligence  is  a  dangerous  thing,  but  that 
theory,  with  States'  Rights,  is  a  relic  of  barbarism. 
Of  course,  to  elevate  the  negro  to  a  place,  either 
alongside  of  or  over  the  white  man  of  the  South, 
will  be  a  terrific  humiliation  to  the  latter;  but 
he  has  been  too  proud,  too  sensitive,  too  jealous 
of  his  institutions  and  civilization.  It  will  be 
only  the  fulfillment  of  the  Scriptures:  '  For  whoso 
exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,'  and  so  long  as 
we  fulfill  a  holy  prophecy  I  am  content  with  the 
work.  These  meetings  are  very  annoying  to  the 
whites.  They  pretend  to  think  that  we  teach 
crime.  We  teach  no  lawlessness,  unless  it  be 
lawless  to  defend  one's  self  and  furnish  one  with 
the  implements  of  self-defense.  We  must  not 
leave  these  poor  creatures  without  means  of  self- 
protection.  They  may  use  them  indiscreetly,  but 
we  must  take  some  chances,  and  the  chances 
ought  to  favor  the  freedmen." 

When  order  was  again  restored,  the  exercises 
took  on  the  form  of  an  "experience  meeting," 
during  which  several  negroes,  nearly  all  preach- 
ers, bore  a  part.  Grievances  were  recounted 
with  a  lively  and  natural  flow  of  fancy,  and  pas- 
sions were  not  allowed  to  slumber.  If  a  member 
had  suffered  the  indignity  of  being  called  "nig- 
ger "  by  some  inconsiderate  white  man,  it  made 


"Forty  Acres  and  a  Mule"  179 

the  foundation  and  fabric  of  fervid  oratory.  Dig- 
nity and  self-esteem  were  much  more  highly 
extolled  than  decency  and  worth. 

The  songs  that  were  interspersed  as  a  sort  of 
balm  on  these  wounds,  were  mostly  of  a  patriotic 
order,  like:  "Rally  'round  the  Flag,"  "King- 
dom am  Comin',''  and  "  Yankee  Doodle."  Then 
came  the  catechism,  the  president  of  the  evening- 
asking  set  questions,  which  were  answered  infor- 
mally by  all  who  could  think  quickly  enough. 
They  ran  about  like  this:  — 

President:  "Who  is  the  enemy  of  the  colored 
gentleman?  " 

"  De  slave  owner!"  answered  several.  One 
lusty  yellow  negro  sitting  in  a  far  corner  shouted, 
"  De  Debbie,"  as  a  sort  of  after-thought,  and 
another  allowed  that  it  was   "Evil  sperets." 

"  'The  late  slave  owner,'  is  the  right  answer," 
said  the  president. 

"De  Sun'ay  School  teacher  say  de  Debbie," 
persisted  the  man  in  the  corner. 

President:  "Who  liberated  the  colored  man 
from  the  barbarity  of  slavery?" 

"Mars  Ab'am  Linckum, "  cried  several  in 
unison!  "  De  'publican  party,"  said  others,  and 
the  Sunday  School  member,  evidently  becoming 
confused  over  the  word  ' '  barbarity, "  and  anxious 
to  show  his  knowledge,  shouted  "  Barabbas." 

' '  '  The  Republican  party, '  is  the  correct  an- 
swer," said  the  wise  man. 

President:  "  What  do  we  demand  for  the  col- 
ored man  ?  " 

"  Fo'ty  acres  an'  a  mule!  "  came  in  a  deafen- 
ing shout. 


180  In  the  Wake  of  War 


"  'Equal  rights  with  his  white  brothers,'  is  the 
proper   answer,"  said    Wisdom. 

Half  a  dozen  demanded:  "What's  dat  ?  " 
while  the  man  of  Sunday  School  lore  cut  in: 
' '  My  brudders  is  all  black. " 

President:  "Who  is  your  master?" 

"Mars  Linckum,"  was  the  general  reply,  re- 
gardless of  the  fact  that  President  Lincoln  had 
been  dead  two  months;  but  a  voice,  sepulchral 
with  reverence,  gave  out  from  the  corner, 
"Gawd." 

And  Wisdom  again  reproved  Righteousness: 
"You  have  no  master!  Each  of  you  is  his  own 
master!  " 

And  this  was  continued  for  half  an  hour,  the 
questions  equally  silly,  the  answers  dogmatic  and 
pathetic  in  ridiculousness.  If  the  black  men  had 
been  honestly  and  sensibly  instructed,  what  good 
might  have  resulted! 

While  this  was  in  progress,  the  speaker  of  the 
evening  became  a-hungered  for  new  honors,  and 
thought  to  add  fresh  laurels  to  his  spurious  dia- 
dem by  introducing  an  original  song. 

When  the  time  seemed  opportune,  he  arose, 
and  hushing  the  buzz  and  clatter  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand,  announced  that  he  had  written  words 
for  a  song  to  the  air  of  "Dixie."  "I  suppose 
you  all  can  sing  'Dixie'  ?  "  he  enquired.  "  Yas, 
suh,  Brudder  Jimson, "  came  the  answer  from 
every  part  of  the  room. 

"Then  I  will  line  off  the  first  stanza  to  you,  as 
your  preachers  do  in  meeting:  — 

'  Oh,  forty  acres  and  a  mule  to  plow, 
A  two-room  cabin  and  a  brindle  cow. ' ' 


"  Forty  Acres  AND  A  MuLE"  \B\_ 

He  waved  his  hands  like  a  singing  master  to 
start  them  off.  They  started,  and  with  more 
gusto  than  they  had  put  into  any  of  the  other 
songs  of  the  evening.  But  alas  for  the  poet! 
The  mention  of  Dixie  had  gone  clean  through  the 
rubbish  of  Union  League  patriotism,  and  had 
struck  their  hearts.  Only  a  few  started  to  sing 
the  words  lined  off;  nearly  every  voice  came 
out  from  the  first,  full  and  strong:  "Oh,  'way 
down  South  in  de  Ian'  ob  cotton." 

He  shouted  for  silence.  The  president  of  the 
evening  tried  to  rescue  the  poet  and  his  verses, 
hammering  loudly  with  his  gavel,  but  nothing 
could  stop  the  song.  Again  they  were  in  the 
cotton  and  corn  fields,  singing  as  they  worked ;  or 
on  a  holiday  in  the  wood,  cooking  for  a  great 
barbecue,  over  pits  in  the  ground;  or  under  the 
master's  window  giving  a  serenade.  Their  shelf- 
worn  patriotism  was  all  gone,  and  they  sang  the 
old  song  through  from  first  to  last,  with  chorus 
repeated  after  each  verse.  They  wept  for  the 
good  old  days,  they  shook  each  other  by  the  hand, 
and  when  it  was  finished  they  were  silent  in  medi- 
tation. But  they  did  not  shout  nor  get  the  power. 
Their  hearts,  not  their  passions,  had  been  moved. 

After  this  return  to  total  depravity,  the  leaders 
were  taken  with  a  panic  for  adjournment,  and  the 
ritual  for  closing  the  meeting  was  abbreviated  to  a 
degree.  The  inner  circle  remained  for  consulta- 
tion, the  others  went  silently  and  thoughtfully  away. 

The  next  morning.  Pleas  recounted  to  his  young 
master  his  experiences  at  the  meeting,  reserving 
only  such  portions  of  the  events  as  were  unimpor- 
tant, to  save  his  obligations. 


XVI 

A  Man  without  a  Country 

ABOUT  this  time  there  was  bitter  activity  in 
the  County  Guards  at  Kosciusko.  Not  a 
day  was  allowed  to  pass  without  its  full  record  of 
persecution  and  humiliation.  Some  unfortunate, 
struggling  weak-handed  and  alone  to  breast  the 
devastating  tide  that  had  overwhelmed  his  home, 
was  seized  by  cowardly  hands  and  torn  from  his 
desperate  task  to  answer  a  frivolous  charge  before 
the  Provost-Marshal,  or  his  honor,  N.  Lex  Witan, 
Magistrate.  The  maintenance  of  peace  and  order 
was  the  special  charge  of  the  Federal  troops,  but 
Captain  Brewster,  a  good  officer  in  action,  had 
become  too  indolent  in  camp  to  study  the  shaping 
of  events,  and  showed  little  concern  so  long  as 
his  men  did  not  participate  in  the  countless  inci- 
dents intended  to  create  disorder.  He  took  not 
the  trouble  to  interfere  with  the  Guards  in  the  prac- 
tice of  its  craft,  for  the  manufacture  of  offense 
had  become  its  sole  occupation. 

And  there  was  apparent  reason  for  all  this 
malevolent  activity,  when  one  was  familiar  with 
the  internal  workings  of  affairs.  The  general 
office  of  Provost-Marshal  had  outlived  already  the 
term  for  which  it  was  created,  and  unless  it  made 
a  show  of  utility  the  Federal  authorities  would 
hardly  renew  its  tenure,  and  the  horde  of  deputies 
would  be  tlirown  back  upon  the  tender  mercies  of 
the  world,  to  make  a  living  like  other  and  better 

182 


A  Man  without  a  Country  183 

men.  The  Freedmen's  Bureau  was  called  into 
being  as  a  temporary  measure  following  emanci- 
pation, and  if  the  white  man  of  the  South  were  to 
accept  the  situation  now  before  him  and  provide 
employment  for  his  late  slaves  without  a  clash  of 
interest,  then  the  occupation  of  the  agents  was 
gone.  Here  lay  the  interests  of  two  strong  classes 
of  politicians  wholly  dependent  upon  the  abuse  of 
power  for  a  continuance  of  official  life,  with  all 
the  corrupt  gains  they  had  contrived  to  make. 
And  these  stealings  were  enormous,  and  were 
increasing  daily.  The  strife  must  be  maintained! 
In  this  extremity  the  County  Guards  had  been 
indispensable,  for,  by  the  logic  of  its  creation  and 
by  the  character  of  its  personnel,  it  could  be  used 
only  as  a  tool. 

But  Captain  Avery,  on  taking  command  of  the 
company  a  few  days  before,  had  gone  studiously 
into  the  condition  of  things,  and  the  questions  he 
had  put  to  the  officers  of  the  Guards,  the  Provost- 
Marshal,  and  the  agent  and  lackeys  about  the 
Freedmen's  Bureau  gave  little  promise  of  continu- 
ance to  the  system  of  abuses  then  in  vogue. 
True,  he  had  not  yet  interfered,  but  an  eruption 
was  daily  expected  from  him,  and  they  all  feared 
it,  for  he  was  the  ranking  officer,  and  he  was 
known  to  be  a  determined  and  purposeful  man. 

The  voluntary  appearance  of  Colonel  Grayson 
to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  had  disappointed 
the  Guards  of  one  victim  on  whom  it  had  counted, 
since  Felix  Grayson  had  reported  his  name  some 
days  before.  But  Major  Lewis  remained  unre- 
constructed, and  to  all  appearances,  politically 
unregenerate.     A  member  of  the  late  Confederate 


184  In  the  Wake  of  War 


Congress,  a  man  of  aristocratic  birth  and  tenden- 
cies, a  man  of  known  wealth,  had  not  sworn  to 
support  the  Government!  Here  was  a  shining 
mark!  Captain  Jonas  Smith  called  his  troop  to- 
gether in  solemn  council.  It  never  would  do  for 
the  whole  body  to  march  out  with  swords  and 
staves  to  take  one  man.  For  once  they  recognized 
the  quality  of  shame.  So  it  was  arranged  that 
lots  should  be  cast  for  good  men  and  true,  out  of 
their  number,  to  make  the  arrest.  Straws  were 
drawn,  and  six  short  stems  decided  the  fate  of  as 
many  brave  men  to  participate  in  the  event  next 
day. 

But  such  another  epidemic  of  disease  had  not 
been  witnessed  in  Williams  County  since  the  con- 
script officers  were  last  there,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing not  a  man  of  the  six  was  able  to  come  to 
scratch.  Major  Lewis  was  known  to  have  main- 
tained his  honor  on  two  occasions  upon  the  bluff 
overlooking  the  Opal,  a  famous  dueling  ground, 
and  it  was  a  matter  of  local  rumor  that  at  both 
these  events  he  gave  his  antagonist  the  choice  of 
position.  He  never  had  been  heard  to  mention 
these  little  matters,  but  of  his  courage  no  one  who 
knew  him  had  a  doubt.  And  hid  away  in  the 
stately  old  mansion  at  Fairfax  was  a  brace  of  duel- 
ing pistols,  the  memory  of  which  struck  terror 
and  disease  to  the  very  heart  and  vitals  of  the 
Guards. 

While  Captain  Jonas  Smith  and  the  survivors 
of  his  clan  were  considering  their  dilemma.  Major 
Lewis  rode  into  Kosciusko  and  began  a  diligent 
enquiry  for  the  office  of  the  Provost-Marshal.  The 
sheriflE  early  discovered  his  intended  victim,   and 


A  Man  without  a  Country  |85 

hastening  out  oflfered  to  introduce  him  to  Captain 
Samson. 

"  No,  I  thank  you,  Smith,  I  am  not  too  bashful 
to  introduce  myself.  If  you  will  direct  me  to  the 
office  of  his  majesty,  I  will  be  duly  thankful." 

' '  Cert'nly,  Major,  cert'nly,  up  here  in  the  Bos- 
worth  house.  I  '11  show  yo'  the  way."  And  he 
took  the  lead,  hoping  thereby  to  get  credit  for 
having  brought  the  Major  in.  But  at  the  front 
door  Major  Lewis  quickly  dismounted,  and  throw- 
ing the  rein  to  Smith,  said:  "Hold  my  horse, 
please,  while  I  attend  to  this  business.  I  hope  not 
to  detain  you  long."  And  lie  went  into  the  house 
to  face  Federal  authority. 

The  Provost-Marshal,  acting  on  the  custom  of 
his  kind,  had  taken  for  a  business  desk  a  hand- 
some table.  This  occupied  a  position  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  back  parlor,  so  that  each  person  who 
came  in,  either  on  business  or  for  gossip,  added 
to  the  increasing  defilement  of  the  elegant  furnish- 
ings of  the  rooms. 

As  Major  Lewis  entered,  the  officer  sat  with 
chair  tilted  back  and  showed  a  clean  pair  of  num- 
ber eleven  army  brogans  on  the  dainty  finish  of 
his  writing  table.  Half  a  dozen  men  in  old  army 
uniforms,  perhaps  the  very  men  who  were  selected 
by  a  cruel  fate  to  make  the  arrest,  but  now  fully 
recovered  from  their  late  indisposition,  lounged 
about  the  rooms,  smoking  that  vile  mixture  of 
vegetable  offal  known  to  commerce  as  "sutler's 
tobacco."  They  evidently  expected  the  humilia- 
tion of  the  Major,  and  if  they  were  afraid  to  par- 
ticipate in  his  arrest,  they  could  lend  to  its  climax 
the  dignity  and  grace  of  their  presence. 


186  In  the  Wake  of  War 

The  Major  walked  into  the  room  with  perfect 
unconcern,  bowing  as  he  entered,  and  without  a 
look  at  any  one  in  particular,  said:  "I  wish  you 
all  good-morning!  "  He  then  stepped  up  to  the 
desk  on  which  slumbej-ed  the  army  shoes,  gave 
the  M^earer  a  scrutinizing  look,  and  enquired: 
"This  is  Colonel  Samson,  Deputy  Provost- 
Marshal,   I    reckon?" 

' '  Yes,  that '  s  my  name,  Provost-Marshal  for 
this  district.  Yes,  what  can  I  do  for  you  ?  "  He 
expected  Major  Lewis  with  an  escort  of  County 
Guards.  That  this  delicate  looking  man,  entirely 
unattended,  should  be  the  victim  had  not  crossed 
his  calculation, 

"My  name,  sir,  is  Lewis,  Walker  Lewis,  of 
the  6th  Civil  District,  this  County.  I  am  here, 
sir,  of  my  own  free  will  and  accord  to  confer  with 
you,  as  the  representative  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, on  the  matter  of  taking  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance," There  was  a  scraping  of  heavy  shoes 
over  the  polished  surface  of  the  table,  and  official 
dignity  inhabited  the  countenance  and  attitude  of 
the  Marshal  in  an  instant. 

"  Oh,  yes,  yes.  You  're  Major  Lewis,  glad  to 
meet  you,  Major,  Yes,  yes,  you  're  at  the  right 
place.  Will  3'^ou  take  the  oath  at  once  ?  If  so, 
hold  up  your  right  hand,  Major,"  and  the  eager 
officer  put  himself  in  posture  to  administer. 

"You  evidently  did  not  understand  me,  sir. 
I  say  I  am  here  to  confer  with  you  regarding 
the  taking  of  this  oath.  There  are  some  matters 
bearing  upon  the  act  and  its  obligations,  about 
which  I  desire  information,"  said  the  Major,  with 
unusual  deliberation. 


A  Man  without  a  Country  187 

"Oh,  it's  only  a  little  matter  of  formality, 
required  by  the  Government;  a  kind  of  renounc- 
ing allegiance  to  the  late  Confederacy,  and  renew- 
ing it  to  the  old  flag,"  explained  Captain  Samson. 

"  Is  that  all  there  is  to  it,  Colonel  ?  " 

"  That  is  all,  Major  Lewis,"  said  the  officer. 

"Then  there  is  no  occasion  for  me  to  be  here. 
I  owe  no  allegiance  to  a  Confederacy,  for  there  is 
no  Confederacy.  That  capitulated  three  months 
ago,  and  is  now  a  fact  in  history  only.  I  beg 
pardon  for  having  troubled  you  on  a  matter  of  no 
importance."  And  the  Major  started  to  leave 
the  room. 

"  But,  Major  Lewis,  while,  as  I  said  in  the 
first  place,  this  taking  of  the  oath  is  a  matter  of 
formality,  it  is  nevertheless  one  that  the  Govern- 
ment requires,"  said  the  Provost-Marshal,  by 
way  of  stopping  the  retreat  of  the  Major. 

' '  How  does  the  Government  require  it  ?  By 
statute  law  ?  ' ' 

"  By  special  Act  of  Congress,  sir.  My  instruc- 
tions are  to  see  that  every  Rebel  in  this  district  is 
brought  to  acknowledge  allegiance  to  the  Federal 
Government.  That  is  what  I  am  here  for,  and 
that  is  what  I  sent  after  you  for,"  said  the  Mar- 
shal, with  rising  warmth. 

"  You  sent  after  me  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  When,  may  I  ask?  " 

' '  This  morning,  sir  !  " 

"  Now,  Colonel  Samson,  we  may  as  well  come 
to  an  understanding  early  as  to  go  into  a  long  and 
fruitless  controversy.  First,  I  am  here  of  my 
own  free  will  and   act.     I  was  not  informed  that 


188  In  the  Wake  of  War 

you  had  sent  for  me.  I  do  not  recognize  your 
authority  to  send  for  me  as  you  would  send  out 
after  one  of  your  lackeys."  Here  the  Major 
indicated  by  a  wave  of  his  hand  the  row  of 
Guards  sitting  about  the  room.  "Second,  I  am 
advised  of  all  the  acts  of  Congress  up  to  the  first 
of  the  present  month,  and  if  there  is  one  such  as 
you  have  mentioned,  I  will  trouble  you  for  a 
reference  to  it,  or  to  show  it  to  me.  Third,  I 
will  be  obliged  to  you  if  you  will  show  me  instruc- 
tions from  officers  in  authority,  ot  the  kind  you 
have  just  now  indicated,  requiring  you  to  bring 
all  Rebels,  as  you  choose  to  call  us,  back  to  alle- 
giance by  way  of  an  oath  that  you  aloiie  have 
power  to  administer.  And,  last  of  all,  as  I  have 
already  intimated,  when  the  government  at  Rich- 
mond collapsed,  my  allegiance  returned.  Ipso 
facto,  and  without  operation  of  any  functional 
virtue  delegated  to  you,  unto  the  parent  govern- 
ment, that  of  the   United  States  of  America." 

"Then  do  I  understand  that  you  refuse  to  take 
the  oath  ?  Do  you  still  stand  defiant  to  the  laws 
and  dignity  of  the  United  States  ?  "  asked  the 
Marshal,  wroth  that  his  much  vaunted  authority 
should  be  ignored. 

' '  I  did  not  refuse,  sir,  I  simply  asked  for 
definite  knowledge  of  your  powers  and  instruc- 
tions," said  the  Major,  with  tantalizing  indiffer- 
ence. 

"But  does  this  quibbling  amount  to  a  refusal  'i  " 
persisted  the  Marshal. 

"If  you  will  pardon  a  personal  remark,"  said 
the  Major,  "I  will  say  that  the  Deputy  Provost- 
Marshal  for  this  district  seems  to  be  more  con- 


A  Man  without  a  Country  189 

cerned  about  his  own  official  dignity,  than  about 
the  hiws  that  create  his  office,  and  define  his 
powers.  I  have  not  quibbled;  I  have  not  refused. 
I  have  questioned  your  jurisdiction,  and  you  are 
bound  to  establish  it  or  drop  the  matter  en- 
tirely." 

"But  the  question  is:  Will  you  take  the  oath 
or  will  you  not  ?  ' '  thundered  the  Marshal  in 
a  rage,   as  he  pounded  the  table  before  him. 

Major  Lewis  would  have  become  very  angry 
in  all  probability,  at  the  pompous  vanity  of  the 
officer,  had  not  the  latter  lost  his  temper  so  early 
in  the  controversy.  As  it  was,  he  pursued  the 
course  of  calm,  conscious  superiority,  against 
which  bluster  always  rails  to  its  own  discredit. 
Before  answering  the  last  question  he  moved 
deliberately  to  the  back  of  the  table,  looked  the 
Marshal  squarely  in  the  face,  and  seemed  to  grow 
tall  and  powerful  as  he  said:  — 

"I  have  neither  consented  nor  refused,  do  not 
mistake  nor  misquote  me,  sir.  I  have  simply 
asked  for  such  information  as  one  must  have  to 
act  understandingly.  Instead  of  giving  me  this, 
you  swell  yourself  out  with  official  importance 
and  pound  this  table.  Such  arguments  some- 
times fail;  this  is  one  of  the  times.  When  you 
are  prepared  to  treat  with  me  intelligently,  I 
shall  be  glad  to  meet  you;  but  I  can  not  be 
coerced  into  doing  that  which  I  do  not  under- 
stand. I  may  take  the  oath  of  allegiance;  I  may 
not  do  so.  It  all  depends  on  a  fair  and  reason- 
able construction  of  the  laws  of  the  land.  I  wish 
you  good-morning,  sir."  And  the  Major  turned 
and  walked  from  the  room. 


190  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Stepping  out  of  the  front  door  upon  the  ve- 
randa, he  collided  with  an  officer  who  stood  talk- 
ing with  Jonas  Smith. 

' '  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir.  The  interview  I 
have  had  right  now  left  nie  somewhat  pre-occii- 
pied,   and  I  did  not  mind  your  presence." 

"No  harm  done,  sir,  nor  apology  necessary. 
This  is  Major  Lewis,   I  believe  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  my  name  is  Lewis." 

"My  name  is  Avery,  Major  Lewis,  command- 
ing Company  K,  stationed  here  at  Kosciusko. 
I  was  encamped  at  Elmiugton  nearly  two  years 
ago,  and  while  there  I  heard  Colonel  Grayson 
speak  of  you  often,  and  very  highly,"  said  the 
Captain, 

"Ah,  Captain  Avery,  allow  me  to  say  that  I 
am  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance.  Colonel 
Grayson  has  mentioned  your  naaie  to  me  many 
times.  I  was  from  home  at  the  time  you  speak 
of." 

' '  In  attendance  upon  a  session  of  your  Con- 
gress,   I   believe." 

While  this  introductory  conversation  was  being 
conducted  upon  the  veranda,  there  was  great  tur- 
moil within  the  house.  The  Provost-Marshal  was 
so  tlK)roughly  stunned  and  angered  by  the  Ma- 
jor's defiance,  that  he  did  not  recover  the  use  of 
his  senses  and  authority  until  the  latter  was  well 
out  of  the  house.  In  his  rage  he  stamped  on  the 
floor  and  shouted  to  the  men  sitting  about: 
"Arrest  him.  Guards!  Bring  him  back,  and 
I  will  make  him  take  the  oath,  or,  damn  him, 
we  '11  kill  him.  Shall  we  be  over-run  by  these 
aristocratic    vermin  ?     Bring    him    back,    I    tell 


A  Man  without  a  Country  I9I 

you! "     And    he    continued    in    this    strain,    but 
awakened  no  movement  in  response. 

"Won't  you  step  into  the  house  with  me, 
Major  Lewis?  I  want  to  make  a  little  investi- 
gation of  this  case,"  said  Captain  Avery,  with 
a  frankness  of  countenance  that  gave  confidence. 

"With  the  greatest  of  pleasure,  Captain  Avery, 
inasmuch  as  you  request  it.  For  myself,  one 
interview  is  enough;  I  settled  all  my  matters 
before  coming  out." 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  uproar.  Cap- 
tain Samson  ?  "  asked   Avery. 

"Oh,  Major  Lewis  comes  in  here  and  quibbles 
about  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  finally 
questions  my  authority  to  administer " 

"Stop  there,  sir!  In  the  presence  of  all  these 
witnesses,  you  lie,"  said  the  Major  with  perfect 
composure,  but  with  force  that  set  Samson  to 
quaking.  The  Marshal  turned  white,  then  purple 
in  the  face,  under  Major  Lewis's  piercing  eye, 
but  made  no  move  to  answer  the  insult.  He 
would  have  spoken,  but  Captain  Avery  motioned 
for  silence. 

' '  When  I  asked  you  to  come  in  here,  Major 
Lewis,  it  was  not  to  investigate  you,  but  the 
workings  of  this  office.  To  that  end,  will  you 
have  the  kindness  to  state  this  matter  to  me  as 
fully  as  you  care  to?  You  shall  not  be  inter- 
rupted," said  Avery. 

"It  is  mighty  near  this  way:  I  came  to  Kos- 
ciusko this  morning  to  see  about  taking  the  oath 
of  allegiance,  and  before  taking  it  I  made  some 
enquiries,  such  as  I  thought  a  prudent  man  ought 
to  make,  but  I  could  get  no  satisfactory  informa- 


192  In  the  Wake  of  War 


tion.  I  asked  to  be  shown  the  act  by  virtue  of 
which  the  oath  is  administered,  and  was  answered 
with  loud  words,  entirely  foreign  to  the  subject, 
and  tremendous  pounding  on  this  table.  Not  satis- 
fied with  that  kind  of  instruction  in  the  way 
I  should  go,  and  despairing  of  getting  any  better, 
I  walked  out  upon  the  porch,  intending  to  ride 
home,  when  I  met  you.  That  is  about  all  there 
is  to  it." 

"Did  you  come  voluntarily,  Major  Lewis?" 
asked  Captain  Avery. 

"Entirely  so,  sir,"  answered  the  Major. 

Samson  started  to  speak,  but  Avery  looked  at 
him  sternly  and  said:  "One  thing  at  a  time, 
Captain  Samson.  We  will  reach  your  side  of  the 
case  in  a  moment.  I  propose  to  take  this  thing 
in  its  order.  One  of  you  men  go  out  and  hold 
that  horse,  and  tell  Captain  Smith  to  come  in 
here." 

Smith  entered,  looking  very  foolish. 

"  Did  you  not  tell  me  just  now  that  you  brought 
Major  Lewis  in  under  arrest  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance?"  asked  Avery  of  Jonas. 

"I  doan  remember  jest  what  I  tole  yo',  Cap'n. 
We  hed  o'ders  to  arrest  him,  but  the  men  took 
sick  las'  night.  As  I  said  afo',  I  doan  remem- 
ber what  I  said.  But  I  was  goin'  out  to  ask  him 
to  come  in,  when  I  seen  him  ride  into  town," 
said  Smith,  with  some  confusion. 

"You  told  me,  very  boastfully,  not  more  than 
five  minutes  ago,  that  you  went  out  to  Fairfax, 
arrested  Major  Lewis  and  brought  him  in.  Did 
you  not  tell  me  so  ? " 

"  I  reckons  I  did,  Cap'n." 


A  Man  without  a  Country  193 

<'Did  you  arrest  him,  or  did  you  not?"  de- 
manded Avery,    fiercely. 

"He  come  to  town  hisself.  I  come  up  here 
with  him,"  said  Smith,   with  an  air  of  triumph. 

"And  held  his  horse  at  the  door,"  put  in  Cap- 
tain Avery.  "Well,  go  back  and  finish  your 
job,  but  don't  leave  the  premises  until  I  see  you 
again."  Smith  started  out,  but  Avery  called: 
"Stop,  one  thing  more.  By  whose  orders  were 
you  to  arrest  Major  Lewis,  if  you  got  courage 
enough  ?  " 

"On  Cap'n  Samson's  o'ders,  of  co'se,"  he  an- 
swered,   and  then  hurried   out  of  doors. 

Turning  to  Captain  Samson,  he  asked:  "Are 
you  issuing  orders  for  the  arrest  of  people,  to 
compel  them  to  take  the  oath  of   allegiance  ? ' ' 

"I  have  in  some  cases." 

"What  kind  of  orders,   written  or  oral?" 

"Oral,  I " 

"Answer  my  questions,  please.  By  what 
authority  do  you  arrest  people  ?  " 

"  By  Act  of  Congress,"  he  answered,  with  great 
assurance. 

"Show  me  the  Act." 

The  Provost-Marshal  hunted  and  rummaged 
about  in  his  books  and  papers  for  some  minutes, 
and  finally  said:  "  I  don't  seem  to  find  the  section, 
but  I  have  authority." 

"Don't  you  know  that  the  oath  of  allegiance  is 
simply  a  privilege  extended  to  late  confederates 
by  proclamation  of  President  Johnson  ?  It  is  not 
compulsory.  If  they  want  to  renew  their  relations 
with  the  Federal  Government,  it  can  be  done  by 
the  oath,   but  there  is  no  law  requiring  them  to 


194  In  the  Wake  of  War 


take  it.  Every  effort  on  your  part  to  force  it 
upon  them  is  flagrant  abuse  of  power.  I  suspect 
there  is  too  much  abuse  of  authority  being  prac- 
ticed here  now,  and  I  mean  to  make  it  my  occu- 
pation for  a  time  to  stop  it. ' ' 

' '  You  liave  asked  Captain  Samson  practically 
the  same  questions  that  I  did  only  a  few  moments 
ago,  and  you  have  obtained  for  me  the  information 
that  I  sought  in  vain  to  get."  Then  turning  to 
Samson  the  Major  continued:  "  For  the  present, 
Mr.  Deputy  Provost-Marshal,  I  shall  not  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance." 

"Then  you  are  not  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  of  America,"  put  in  Samson,  as  a  parting- 
shot. 

' '  By  my  own  choice,  not  by  virtue  of  your 
decree,"  said  Major  Lewis.  "If  all  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Government  were  like  you, 
Captain  Avery,  I  would  travel  a  long  way  to  take 
this  oath,  and  thus  become  identified  with  its 
citizens.  But  as  the  other  party  seems  to  pre- 
dominate, 1  shall  choose,  for  a  time,  to  remain  a 
man  without  a  country.  Allow  me  to  say  again, 
that  I  am  very  glad  to  know  you.  Captain  Avery, 
and  I  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  entertaining 
you  at  Fairfax  soon,  at  your  convenience." 

"Thank  you,  Major  Lewis,  I  shall  call  on  you 
very  soon." 

"I  wish  you  good-morning.  Captain  Samson; 
good-bye,  for  the  present,  Captain  Avery."  And 
Major  Lewis  walked  out. 

"Tell  Captain  Smith  to  come  into  the  house, 
and  you  sitters,  step  out,"  said  Avery,  to  the 
loungers   about   the  room. 


A  Man  without  a  Country  195 

The  exact  words  that  passed  at  this  triangular 
interview  between  the  captains,  will  never  find 
record  in  this  or  any  other  authentic  history. 
Captain  Avery,  the  only  one  present  capable  of 
giving  an  honest  version,  was  too  modest  to 
report  a  matter  in  which  he  took  the  part  of  task- 
master; but  results  followed  that  proved  it  to  have 
been  decisive,  and  caused  the  impression  to  spread 
that  unless  the  plotters  devised  new  schemes, 
their  services  in  that  community  would  be  needed 
no  more.  One  probable  effect  was  manifest  in 
the  forthwith  setting  out  by  Captain  Samson,  to 
hunt  new  quarters  for  his  office  among  the  deserted 
store  buildings  of  Kosciusko. 

But  Captain  Avery  did  not  rest  with  this  reck- 
oning. No  sooner  was  it  over  than  he  betook 
himself  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau,  where  he  finished  the  good  work  while 
he  had  it  well  in  hand.  There  followed  a  short 
and  happy  season  of  quiet,  during  which  the 
vocations  of  peace  were  pursued  with  little  inter- 
ruption. 


XVII 

Shows  Again  That  Peace  Hath  Her  Victories 

CAPTAIN  AVERY  followed  the  work  of  re- 
adjusting the  civa]  and  military  methods  at 
Kosciusko  by  taking  a  hand  at  domestic  recon- 
struction. No  sooner  was  the  office  of  the  Pro- 
vost-Marshal removed  to  quarters  more  suitable 
to  its  dignity  and  condition,  than  he  supervised 
scrubbing  and  airing  the  Bosworth  house  into 
a  state  of  tolerable  inhabitance.  This  done,  he 
started  out  to  find  the  rightful  possessors,  and 
with  the  aid  of  Anton  Nelson  and  other  reputable 
Unionists,  introduced  Mrs.  Bosworth  and  daughter 
to  the  occupation  of  their  ov/n  home. 

This  last  proceeding  was  attended  with  such 
profuse  thanks  from  Mrs.  Bosworth  and  her 
daughter.  Miss  Betty,  as  well  as  a  kindly  word 
from  nearly  every  person  of  apparent  respec- 
tability whom  he  met,  that  Captain  Avery  felt  at 
once  that  he  moved  in  a  different  atmosphere.  It 
seemed  to  open  the  door  for  his  possible  entry 
into  a  social  circle  heretofore  closed  and  barred 
against  him  as  the  representative  of  a  common 
enemy,  (not  a  conqueror  in  battles,  but  one  that 
was  assailing  their  institutions  and  local  customs) 
—  an  enemy  that  sought  to  make  the  South 
cosmopolitan,  when  she  preferred  to  retain  her 
own  and  old  social  and  economic  systems,  sub- 
ject only  to  such  changes  as  were  made  necessary 
by  the  new  order  of  things.      And  these  changes, 

196 


Peace  Hath  Her  Victories  J97_ 

the  Southerners  themselves  wanted  to  make,  and 
not  have  them  injected  by  persons  who  could  not 
respect  theii-  likes  and  dislikes.  He  seemed  to 
have  stepped  out  of  this  list,  and  was  well  re- 
ceived not  only  by  Mrs.  Bosworth  and  her  daugh- 
ter, but  by  all  their  circle  of  friends. 

Encouraged  by  this  suddenly  acquii*ed  social 
popularity.  Captain  Avery  thought  to  push  his 
acquaintance  with  Colonel  Grayson's  family,  and 
rode  out  to  Elmington  the  next  evening  after  his 
triumph.  He  found  Pleas  in  charge,  and  asked 
if  Colonel  Grayson  was  at  home. 

"Naw,  suh.  He  been  'way  fo'  'bout  week," 
answered  Pleas. 

"  Is  Captain  Grayson  at  home  ?  " 

"Naw,  suh,  not  right  now." 

' '  Is  Miss  Mary  Lou  at  home,  then  ?  ' '  persisted 
the  Captain. 

"Naw,  suh.  She  'way  with  Cunnel  Grayson. 
Now  what  yo'  ask  dat  fo'  ?  What  yo'  sojers 
wants?"  asked  Pleas,  who  feared  more  trouble 
was  brewing  for  his  master. 

"  Oh,  nothing  in  particular.  They  are  friends 
of  mine  and  I  simply  called  to  pay  my  respects," 
answered  the  Captain,  somewhat  amused  by  the 
interest  displayed  by  a  negro  servant.  "  Do  you 
know  when  Colonel  Grayson  and  Miss  Mary  Lou 
will  return  ?  "  he  continued. 

"Naw,  suh,  I  doan  know.  'Sides,  I  doan 
reckon  we  has  friends  with  Yankee  sojers." 

' '  Please  say  to  Captain  Grayson  that  Captain 
Avery  called  to  pay  a  friendly  visit  to  Colonel 
Grayson  and  his  family, ' '  said  Avery,  as  he  rode 
away. 


198  In  the  Wake  of  War 


"  Yas,  suh,  I  tells  him." 

But  Captain  Avery  was  not  the  person  to  be 
dismayed  into  ostracism,  even  on  the  decree  of  so 
great  a  functionary  as  Pleas,  and  it  came  con- 
venient for  him  to  ride  past  Elmington  the  next 
evening.  This  time  he  was  more  fortunate,  for 
he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Howard.  From  him 
he  learned  the  nature  of  the  business  that  had 
carried  Colonel  Grayson  and  Miss  Mary  Lou  from 
home;  further,  that  Miss  Margaret  had  already 
brightened  up,  but  was  still  very  weak  and  ill, 
and  that  all  hands  would  return  on  the  second 
day  following. 

The  Captain  had  spent  much  thought  during 
the  last  few  days  and  nights,  in  the  vain  effort  to 
devise  a  plea  that  would  justify  an  early  second 
call  upon  the  Graysons.  His  general  invitation 
from  the  Colonel  would  carry  him  there  properly, 
as  soon  as  they  were  at  home;  but  how  should  he 
give  color  to  a  second  visit  before  the  reasonable 
delay  requii*ed  of  a  formal  acquaintance,  for  he 
could  not  persuade  himself  that  he  might  claim  to 
be  more  than  that.  He  had  resolved  long  before, 
that  if  either  the  fortunes  of  war  or  any  influence 
he  might  be  able  to  command  should  place  him 
within  reach  of  Elmington,  he  would  press  this 
acquaintance  with  all  fitting  decorum,  hoping  to 
dislodge  from  the  mind  or  fancy  of  Miss  Mary 
Lou  her  dislike  for  Yankee  soldiers,  or  for  one, 
at  least.  But  luck  had  been  more  favorable  than 
he  had  hoped,  and  he  found  himself  located  at  the 
nearest  military  post,  in  the  most  advantageous 
position  possible,  and  all  without  the  exercise  of 
political  or  military  influence.     Had  he  been  less 


Peace  Hath  Her  Victories  199 

a  materialist  he  might  have  regarded  the  whole 
string  of  events  as  predestined,  especially  as  he 
was  the  possible  beneficiary  —  for  without  the  aid 
of  direct  profit,  we  can  seldom  pierce  the  nebula 
surrounding  foreordination  and  distinguish  it  from 
luck. 

And  now,  to  fill  his  cup  to  overflowing,  here 
was  his  excuse  —  an  excuse  that  approached  a 
duty  —  for  he  must  make  frequent  calls  to  enquire 
after  the  health  of  the  invalid,  and  perhaps  he 
might  be  of  service.  Accordingly  he  rode  up  the 
avenue  at  Elmington  on  the  evening  of  the  day 
appointed  for  the  traveler's  return.  He  saw  Mary 
Lou  for  a  moment  only,  as  her  patient  required 
constant  attention,  but  he  made  good  use  of  the 
time. 

"  Please  command  me,  if  there  is  anything  I 
can  do  for  your  friend,"  he  said,  after  a  few 
questions  about  herself  and  her  trip. 

"Tliere  is  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  I  fear. 
It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  offer,  that  is,  very  kind 
for  a  Yankee,"  she  answered,  not  forgetting  her 
banter. 

He  acknowledged  the  qualification  by  an  uncon- 
scious twitch  about  the  corners  of  his  mouth. 

"But  how  about  your  physician?  Are  you 
entirely  satisfied  with  him  ?  "  he  continued. 

"  I  am  not.  Captain  Avery,  but  Mr.  Dodge 
seems  to  have  confidence  in  our  old  neighborhood 
physician,  Doctor  Anderson.  He  is  an  excellent 
man,  and  a  good  doctor  for  ordinary  cases,  but 
Margaret  is  so  nervous  —  it  is  pitiful  to  see  her  at 
times." 

' '  With  your  permission  I  will  speak  to  your 


200  In  the  Wake  of  War 


brother  about  this,  and  after  he  has  talked  with 
Mr.  Dodge  perhaps  I  can  be  of  service  in  this 
particular.     I  should  like  to  do  something." 

"You  are  very  kind,  Captain  Averj  —  with 
the  usual  qualification.  But  I  must  go  back  to 
Margaret,  and  there  comes  Howard  to  entertain 
you,  so  let  me  wish  you  good-evening.""  And  she 
disappeared  in  the  house. 

He  called  the  next  evening,  and  again  the  even- 
ing following  that,  and  saw  Colonel  Grayson  and 
Howard  each  time,  but  Mary  Lou  sent  excuses. 
The  third  evening  he  brought  a  bouquet  of  garden 
flowers,  contributed  by  Anton  Nelson,  which  he 
gave  to  Howard  to  be  sent  to  the  sick-room.  On 
this  occasion  he  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Dodge, 
and  suggested  to  him  the  matter  of  a  consultation 
of  doctors. 

' '  I  am  pretty  well  8atisfi.ed  with  Doctor  Ander- 
son," said  Dodge,  in  his  full,  loud  voice.  "When 
I  was  up  North  for  my  health,  I  met  no  such  doc- 
tors as  he  is,  none  so  careful  and  steady;  a  little 
slow  for  me,  for  I  am  a  hustler,  myself,  but  he  is 
very  careful.  I  like  a  hustler.  Captain,  whether 
in  business  or  war  or  medicine;  but  a  careful  man 
is  the  next  best.  Who  were  you  going  to  sug- 
gest?" 

' '  I  will  take  pleasure  in  sending  to  Nashville 
for  one  of  the  most  skillful  physicians  in  the  serv- 
ice, and  will  have  him  down  on  the  afternoon 
train  to-morrow.  I  can  bring  him  out  from 
Kosciusko  at  about  this  hour,"  said  Avery. 

"You  are  very  kind.  Captain,  very  kind.  You 
must  be  a  Southern  man.  Captain,  .judging  from 
this  act  of  splendid  courtesy.     That  is  the  way  we 


Peace  Hath  Her  Victories  201 

do  down  here,  try  to  help  each  other.  I  have  just 
brought  down  a  carload  of  the  finest  horses  that 
ever  looked  through  a  collar,  to  help  this  section 
out;  for  said  I  to  myself:  'The  war  has  taken  all 
the  decent  horse  stock  out  of  Middle  Tennessee, 
and  we  must  have  good  horses.'  But  what  will  it 
cost  to  bring  this  doctor  out  from  the  city  ?  You 
see  I  have  been  up  into  your  country  for  my 
health  and  have  learned  to  ask  the  price  of  things 
in  advance  —  have  to  do  it  up  there,  you  know." 

"It  will  cost  you  nothing,  Mr,  Dodge.  These 
surgeons  attached  to  the  Federal  army,  are  paid 
salaries  and  have  little  to  do  now,  and  are  always 
glad  to  be  of  service,"  answered  Avery,  some- 
what perplexed  with  the  peculiarities  of  Mr. 
Dodge. 

"Well,  bring  him  along,  Captain,  and  many 
thanks  to  you,"  said  Dodge,  with  perceptible 
relief  in  the  matter  of  fees.  "  I  will  arrange 
with  Doctor  Anderson  for  the  consultation.  He 
may  object  to  meeting  a  Yankee  army  surgeon, 
but  I  can  smooth  that  down.     Leave  that  to  me." 

' '  We  certainly  are  under  great  obligations  to 
you,  Captain  Avery,  for  this  generous  proposal," 
Howard  put  in,  as  soon  as  Dodge  stopped  to 
catch  his  breath.  "There  will  be  no  trouble 
between  the  doctors,  Mr.  Dodge,  for  Doctor 
Anderson  was  an  army  surgeon,  and  soldiers 
don't  quarrel." 

' '  Let  me  put  you  entirely  at  ease  on  the  score 
of  obligation,  gentlemen,"  said  Avery.  "  I  feel 
a  great  interest  in  —  in  —  extending  to  this  house- 
hold every  possible  courtesy.  There  was  a  time 
when  Colonel  Grayson  had  reason  to  think  that 


202  In  the  Wake  of  War 


the  army  with  which  I  served  did  him  great 
wrong, —  mj  command  helped  to  scatter  the 
destruction  that  we  see  on  every  Iiand,  although 
I  did  my  best  to  prevent  it;  but  that  grand  man 
took  it  like  a  soldier —  as  one  of  the  exigencies 
of  war.  He  taught  me  a  lesson  in  fortitude  that 
was  left  out  of  the  course  at  West  Point,  and  I 
admire  him,  next  to  General  Thomas,  above  any 
gentleman  I  ever  knew." 

"  Father  is  proud  to  hold  the  second  place  to 
General  Thomas  in  any  gentleman's  good  opin- 
ion," Howard  hastened  to  say,  before  Dodge 
should  get  started.  "He  loves  George  H. 
Thomas  as  much  as  any  man  living,  although  the 
General  did  desert  the  South  when  we  thought  he 
ought  to  have  stayed." 

' '  Yes,  yes,  it  is  very  kind  of  you  to  feel  as 
you  do  toward  us  —  not  look  upon  each  of  us  as 
a  personal  enemy,"  said  Dodge,  bound  to  talk, 
although  somewhat  confused  in  ideas.  "  If  it  had 
not  been  that  my  health  failed,  I  should  have  been 
your  enemy  in  the  field,  and  then  the  fortunes  of 
war  in  the  division  of  the  Cumberland  might  have 
been  different.  I  was  on  the  point  of  raising  a 
regiment  when  my  health  broke  on  me,  and  I  had 
to  go  away,  or  die  of  biliousness." 

Mary  Lou  came  out  and  thanked  the  Captain 
for  the  flowers,  and  then  spoiled  everything  by 
asking  him  to  thank  Mr.  Nelson  for  them. 
"Margaret  was  delighted  that  Mr.  Nelson  remem- 
bered her,  and  that  a  Yankee  soldier  should  have 
been  the  messenger,"  she  said.  "  She  has  more 
charity  for  yon-all  than  I  have.  She  nursed  sev- 
eral Yankees  in  our  hospitals,  for  we  always  did 


Peace  Hath  Her  Victories  203 

the  best  we  could  by  our  enemies,  and  she  says 
that  some  of  them  are  really  nice  men,  except  in 
politics. ' ' 

' '  I  see  you  are  careful  to  make  your  friend 
responsible  for  such  an  admission.  Won't  you 
concede  as  much  on  your  own  account?"  asked 
Avery. 

"I  never  knew  any  of  your  sick,"  she  an- 
swered. "  From  what  Margaret  says,  you- all 
seem  to  improve  under  affliction."  And  with 
this  parting  shot  she  returned  to  the  house. 

The  next  evening  he  drove  out  with  Mr.  Nel- 
son's horse  and  barouche,  bringing  the  wise  man 
from  Nashville,  and  waited  through  that  tedious 
amalgamation  of  assumption,  known  to  the  world 
as  a  "consultation  of  doctors."  After  that  he 
became  a  daily  caller,  usually  bringing  flowers 
or  dainties  intended  to  cheer  the  patient,  and  at 
the  same  time  assuage  the  supposed  enmity  of 
Mary  Lou.  On  these  visits  he  always  met  some 
of  the  people  of  the  neighborhood,  who  seemed 
never  to  tire  of  offering  services  and  bringing  to 
the  sick  such  delicacies  as  they  had.  This  was 
another  revelation  to  him,  for  the  amenities  of 
life  seemed  to  supplant  the  very  struggle  for  sub- 
sistence that  he  knew  was  desperate  with  every 
one  of   them. 

From  all  these  people  Avery  received  the  high- 
est courtesy,  not  such  as  often  is  accorded  to  one 
in  command,  but  such  as  is  the  due  from  one  of 
gentle  nature  and  good  breeding  to  another  in 
kind.  It  was  tribute  to  personal  qualities,  not 
truckling  to  rank  and  station. 

Several  times  he  met  the  Reverend  Felix  Gray- 


204  In  the  Wake  of  War 

son  at  the  Colonel's  house,  and  marked  that  he 
tried  to  pay  uncommon  court  to  Mary  Lou,  but  as 
the  Captain  did  not  then  understand  that  no  blood 
relationship  existed  between  the  two,  he  gave  the 
young  preacher  credit  for  great  gallantry.  He 
often  saw  the  Rev.  Felix  driving  out  of  Kosci- 
usko with  a  teacher  from  the  negro  school,  Miss 
Edgerton,  a  misguided  enthusiast  from  Ohio,  and 
on  one  occasion  met  them  at  Elmington.  Even 
Miss  Edgerton  was  courteously  received  at  this 
hospitable  house,  despite  the  universal  commis- 
eration felt  and  expressed  for  the  morbid  gulli- 
bility that  carried  her  kind  to  the  South  on  an 
impossible  undertaking. 

The  unrelieved  nursing  of  two  weeks  was  now 
beginning  to  leave  worn  traces  on  the  face  of 
Mary  Lou.  Colonel  Grayson  and  Howard  often 
spoke  of  it  with  deep  concern,  and  Avery  fell  to 
studying  means  for  getting  her  air  and  exercise. 
And  it  so  happened  at  this  time  that  Miss  Betty 
Bosworth  expressed  a  desire  to  see  Miss  Mar- 
garet, who  now  was  somewhat  recovered  and 
began  to  receive  her  old  friends. 

"I  would  gladly  take  you  out  to  Elmington," 
said  Avery,  "  if  I  had  the  conveyance.  On  the 
strength  of  your  wish  I  will  invite  you  to  go,  but 
you  must  exercise  your  woman's  ingenuity  to  sug- 
gest the  ways  and  means." 

' '  Easy  enough !  You  have  horses  in  camp,  and 
I  have  an  old   saddle  in  the  attic." 

"Good,  so  far!  But  our  horses  are  not  broken 
to  a  woman's  habit." 

"Your  horse  surely  is  gentle,  and  the  lieuten- 
ant's will  carry  you,"  she  suggested. 


Peace  Hath  Her  Victories  205 

"Good,  again!  Well,  this  evening  at  six,  we 
are  off  for  the  first  ride.  Keally,  I  have  missed 
a  dozen  pleasant  rides  for  the  need  of  a  little 
invention.  I  have  wanted  to  invite  you  to  go 
out  there  these  two  weeks,  and  I  have  known  that 
you  wished  to  go  —  but  a  man  can't  think.  Men 
are  stupid  beasts." 

When  they  arrived  at  Elmington,  Miss  Betty 
went  direct  to  the  sick-room,  leaving  Mary  Lou  to 
entertain  the  Captain. 

"Now,  Miss  Grayson,  suppose  you  get  into 
Miss  Bosworth's  saddle  for  a  little  canter.  It 
will  do  you  a  world  of  good,"  he  said. 

"I  would  love  to  ride  again.  It  has  been  an 
age  since  I  sat  a  horse.  You  Yankees  spoiled 
that  sport  for  me. ' ' 

"And  I  am  here  to  do  my  very  best  to  make 
amends,  if  for  a  few  minutes  only.  Do  take 
a  little  ride,"  he  persisted. 

"Will  you  wait  forme  to  make  a  change  of 
habit,  and  not  become  impatient  ?  You  Yankees 
are  always  in  such  haste." 

' '  I  will  wait  with  pleasure  and  real  Southern 
patience.  All  Yankees  are  not  impatient.  Thou- 
sands of  us  are  absolutely  lazy. ' ' 

The  ease  with  which  Mary  Lou  sat  her  mount 
doubled  the  Captain's  admiration  for  her.  He 
was  in  tortures  lest  this  should  be  the  only  ride, 
for  he  had  come  to  dread  what  he  thought  was 
her  spiteful  caprice.  But  to  his  infinite  delight 
she  declared  the  change  had  refreshed  her,  and 
gladly  accepted  his  invitation  to  repeat  the  ride 
on  the  following  evening.  And  so  it  went  on  for 
days,  Miss  Betty  going  out  to  care  for  Margaret, 


206  In  the  Wake  of  War 


while  Mary  Lou  took  the  air  on  horseback;  not 
always  at  a  canter,  sometimes  at  full  speed,  until 
Avery  was  alarmed  at  the  daring  with  which  she 
put  his  horse  to  the  whip. 

Through  all  these  rides  her  manner  was  as- 
sumedly  frank  and  outspoken,  only  it  never  lost 
the  air  of  banter.  No  compliment  or  flattery 
could  draw  her  even  for  a  moment  into  a  change 
of  demeanor.  One  evening  the  Captain  had 
occasion  to  speak  of  the  fortitude  of  the  Southern 
soldier,  when  he  turned  suddenly  and  said:  "The 
truest  heroes  of  the  South  were  women." 

"I  don't  know  any  of  them,  unless  you  mean 
Margaret,"   she  answered,  with    all    seriousness. 

"One  good  example,"  he  replied,  "but  I 
know  of  others.  Your  brother  was  a  good  sol- 
dier. I  know  the  stuff  a  good  soldier  is  made 
from,  and  he  has  it,  but  he  has  not  half  the  cour- 
age of  his  sister.  Please  don't  interrupt!  "  he 
said,  raising  his  hand  in  mock  threat.  ' '  He  has 
said  that  to  me  repeatedly,  and  has  told  me  of 
a  dozen  instances  to  prove  it." 

"You  do  Howard  an  injustice  in  that  speech, 
eloquent  as  it  was  intended  to  be;  besides,  you 
are  an  unpardonable  flatterer.  If  I  possessed  all 
the  bravery  you  would  make  me  believe,  you 
never  would  dare  to  flatter  me  so  outrageously. 
You  know  that  true  heroism  resents  false  praise, 
and  that  it  is  terrible  in  resentment.  Have  you 
heard  the  new  word  Mr.  Dodge  brought  back 
from  the  North?  No?  Well,  it's  'taffy';  not 
a  nice  word,   is  it?  " 

"But  I  insist  that  I  shall  not  be  driven  from 
my  position  by  ridicule.     No  hero  ever  lived  but 


Peace  Hath  Her  Victories  207 

would  declare   that   his    bravest   deed  was   only 
a  commonplace,  natural  act,"  he  persisted. 

"How  red  that  sunset  is!  Are  you  a  weather- 
prophet,  Captain  Avery  ?  Shall  we  have  no  more 
rain  this  summer  ?  Poor  Howard !  He  has 
worked  so  hard  on  his  garden,  and  already  it 
looks  like  a  desert.  Don't  you  think  it  requires 
great  fortitude  to  withstand  a  drought  and  an 
invasion  of  Yankees  the  same  year?"  she  said, 
by  way  of  turning  the  conversation. 

' '  Heroes,  not  weather,  are  my  specialty, ' ' 
answered  the  Captain.  "  My  taste  and  education 
are  military,  not  meteorological,  and  I  think  I 
understand  my  subject  better  than  your  substi- 
tute. I  would  love  to  give  Mr.  Howard  a  little 
hope  for  his  crop,  but  I  can  tell  him  that  no  mat- 
ter how  the  weather  is,  the  Grayson  family  has 
fortitude  for  any  calamity.  Shall  we  ride  down 
to  the   forks  of   the    road   before   turning   in?" 

"Not  if  you  insist  on  discussing  a  subject  on 
which  you  are  so  helplessly  ignorant.  I  will  turn 
flatterer,  with  your  permission,"  she  said,  with 
assumed  gravity,  ' '  and  say  that  you  speak  quite 
entertainingly,  on  subjects  you  understand.  Shall 
we  talk  about  the  weather,  or  go  home  ?  " 

"I  yield  to  the  weather,  and  a  more  heroic 
will  than  my  own,"  he  said,  completely  van- 
quished. 

And  in  this  Avery  spoke  more  truth  than  he 
knew,  for  Mary  Lou  Grayson  at  that  time  not 
only  nursed  and  cared  for  her  sick  friend,  but 
attended  to  all  the  domestic  duties  in  the  Grayson 
household.  She  cooked  the  meals,  washed  the 
dishes,   swept    and  scrubbed.     Aunt  Manda  was 


208  In  the  Wake  of  War 

to  help,  or  rather  to  do  the  meanest  of  the  work, 
but  she  was  too  old  and  rheumatic  to  be  of  actual 
service,  and  Mary  Lou  could  not  command  the 
heart  to  drive  her  to  work. 

With  these  occupations  the  summer  advanced. 
The  victories  of  peace  were  manifest  on  every 
side.  The  returned  soldier  was  too  busy  with  his 
disorganized  affairs  to  give  much  thought  to  the 
shaping  of  political  events.  He  wanted  peace  and 
quiet,  and  these  he  had  in  wholesome  plenty  after 
Avery  had  reformed  the  methods  of  the  Federal 
authorities  at  Kosciusko.  Few  were  heard  to 
complain;  even  the  most  apprehensive  took  on 
an  air  of  hopeful  expectation.  There  was  no 
clashing  of  interests.  Everything  was  quiet. 
Even  the  undercurrent  of  trouble  that  was  being 
fermented  by  the  County  Guards  and  hangers-on 
at  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  ran  so  quietly  that  the 
white  men  of  the  South  failed  to  discover  it  until 
the  time  of  inception  was  well  passed.  There  was 
little  joy,  but  there  was  abundant  satisfaction. 
There  was  little  comfort,  but  the  murky  clouds  of 
gloom  were  breaking  and  the  glorious  sunshine 
of  hope  began  to  pour  in. 


XVIII 

In  Which  Trouble  Threatens 

THE  sweet  monotony  of  peace  was  soon  inter- 
rupted by  an  order  from  the  War  Department 
directing  that  a  search  be  made  of  all  houses  of 
late  Confederates  for  fire-arms  and  other  evidences 
of  sedition.  Captain  Avery  had  been  in  daily 
contact  with  the  people  of  his  district  for  more 
than  a  month,  and  knew  full  well  the  folly  of 
such  instructions;  but  his  orders  gave  him  no  dis- 
cretion. He  was  an  honest  soldier  and  would  not 
show  favors  with  the  hope  of  making  friends,  so 
he  decided  on  a  sudden  descent  without  notice  to 
any  one.  The  district  was  divided  into  sections, 
and  his  men  into  squads  to  match;  but  yet  more 
were  needed  to  accomplish  the  edict  in  one  day. 
Accordingly,  the  County  Guards  and  men  about 
the  Freedmen's  Bureau  were  impressed  into  the 
service. 

As  soon  as  Felix  Grayson  was  asked  to  join  one 
of  the  squads,  he  suggested  that  he  be  given 
command  of  a  small  detachment  and  assigned 
to  Elmington  and  the  houses  in  that  immediate 
vicinity. 

"  I  should  like  to  be  present  at  my  brother's 
and  see  that  no  unnecessary  indignity  is  offered 
him,  and  that  no  uproar  is  made  in  the  house. 
It  would  be  inhuman  to  disturb  Miss  Dodge  in 
her  illness,"  he  said. 

' '  Very  well,  Grayson,  only  there  shall  be  no 

14  209 


210  In  the  Wake  of  War 

favoritism  beyond  that,"  said  Avery.  "  I  will  do 
Colonel  Grayson  any  favor  that  does  not  conflict 
with  an  impartial  discharge  of  duty.  Make  the 
search  thorough,  but  don't  disturb  Miss  Dodge." 

' '  As  you  say,  Captain,  there  shall  be  no  neglect 
of  duty,  although  it  will  hurt  me  beyond  measure 
to  see  my  proud  brother  and  his  proud  family 
humiliated,"  answered  Felix,  with  apparent  feel- 
ing. "  You  shall  say  to  me,  on  receipt  of  my 
report  of  to-morrow's  work  :  '  Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant.'  I  would  like  Jonas  Smith 
in  my  company,  Captain,  if  you  have  no  other 
disposition  to  make  of  him." 

"That  suggestion  helps  me  out  of  a  mess,  for 
I  have  not  known  what  to  do  with  him,"  said 
Avery.  "I  could  not  trust  him  to  command  a 
squad,  and  his  position  as  Captain  of  the  Guards 
makes  it  awkward  for  me  to  ask  him  to  go  under 
a  private  or  noncommissioned  officer.  But  he 
will  go  with  you  cheerfully,  and  you  can  see  that 
he  does  no  mischief." 

Accordingly,  Felix,  Jonas  Smith  and  two  others 
set  off  the  following  morning  to  execute  their 
orders.  They  stopped  first  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Dodge  and  were  going  through  the  form  of  search, 
but  this  gentleman  declared  with  much  vehemence 
that  he  had  been  a  Union  man  from  the  first. 
"I  am  no  Rebel,  gentlemen,  not  John  Dodge! 
I  went  up  North  to  get  away  from  the  blamed 
conscript  officers." 

"  Then  yo'  an'  me  is  podners,  Colonel  Dodge. 
I  alius  toted  fair  with  the  Union;  alius,  suh," 
said  Jonas,  with  a  familiarity  that  was  not  alto- 
gether pleasing  to  Mr.  Dodge.     But  the  stop  at 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  211 

Saunders'  Lodge,  (for  so  Mr.  Dodge  had  chris- 
tened the  homestead  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Saun- 
ders) gave  the  party  the  information  that  Colonel 
Grayson  and  Howard  were  both  from  home, 
which  was  especially  welcome  to  Felix. 

Pleas  announced  the  officers  to  Mary  Lou, 
and  on  her  appearance  the  Reverend  Felix,  with 
much  show  of  interest,  explained  the  nature  of 
the  visitation. 

"It's  only  a  matter  of  form,  Mary  Lou,"  he 
said,  "but  I  very  much  regret  that  brother  and 
Howard  are  both  from  home.  It  will  take  only 
a  minute,  and  I  will  vouch  that  Miss  Dodge  is 
not  disturbed.  I  hope  she  is  improving  under 
your  excellent  care?" 

' '  I  think  she  improves  slowly,  but  not  because 
of  my  attentions.  I  know  nothing  of  nursing, 
and  deserve  no  credit  for  her  recovery."  She 
spoke  this  in  an  abstracted  manner,  as  if  her  mind 
was  still  on  the  business  in  hand.  "  Can  not  this 
be  put  off  until  either  father  or  Howard  returns  ? ' ' 
she  continued. 

"  Our  instructions  are  very  explicit  and  impera- 
tive. I  have  no  choice  to  exercise;  but  for  that 
matter,  unless  you  tell  them  on  their  return,  they 
never  will  know  it.  JSTothing  will  be  disturbed. 
I  will  have  Smith  go  through  the  form,  and  then 
we  will  go  on.  Or,  if  you  prefer,  I  will  make 
the  search  while  Smith  stays  here  in  the  hall. 
Yes,  that  is  better.  You  show  me  through  the 
house,   so  that  I  will  not  disturb  Miss  Dodge." 

So  Felix  went  to  the  second  floor,  and  looked 
from  room  to  room  in  all  places  where  lire- arms 
would  not  have  been  concealed,  had  there  been 


212  In  the  Wake  of  War 


such  things  on  the  premises.  He  was  very  quiet, 
did  not  go  near  the  sick  room,  and  tried  to 
impress  Mary  Lou  with  his  utter  indifference  to 
the  spirit  of  his  instructions.  As  he  came  down 
to  the  first  floor  he  called  out  to  Smith  who  was 
already  in  the  carriage:  "  Have  you  made  a  thor- 
ough search,  Captain  Smith  ?  ' ' 

"Yas,  suh,  Parson;  looked  behin'  err  do'  an' 
foun'  nerr  a  gun,"  answered  Smith,  with  a  chuckle. 

"  Well,  you  drive  on,  and  don't  wait  for  me. 
This  is  all  we  have  for  you  to  do  to-day." 

No  implements  of  war  were  found,  save  the  old 
sword  of  Casa  de  Mata,  which  was  left  undis- 
turbed in  its  sheath;  but  by  special  instructions, 
Jonas  Smith  carried  out  of  the  mansion  at  Elming- 
ton  a  grain-sack  full  of  papers,  the  entire  con- 
tents of  Colonel  Grayson's  old  writing  desk. 
These  comprised  title  papers,  business  memo- 
randa, personal  letters, —  some  from  his  father, 
others  from  his  wife.  All  were  ruthlessly 
dumped  into  the  bag  and  carried  out  to  the  car- 
riage, while  Felix  was  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
house  and  Mary  Lou  was  with  her  patient. 

That  night  in  the  privacy  of  his  room,  Felix 
Grayson  went  over  them  carefully;  and,  after 
abstracting  one  file  that  he  thought  would  serve 
a  purpose  in  the  future,  he  hurled  them  back  into 
the  sack  and  returned  them  to  Colonel  Grayson 
early  the  next  morning. 

"I  didn't  know  what  the  creature  had  done," 
Felix  said  to  his  brother,  with  great  humility, 
'<  until  late  last  night.  He  said  our  orders  cov- 
ered papers  of  a  seditious  nature,  and  that  your 
desk  with  its  bulging  contents  looked  suspicious. 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  213 

I  found  him  looking  them  over  and  took  them 
from  him.  Here  they  are  all  safe  and  sound; 
and  if  you  like  I  will  help  you  return  them  to  the 
desk.  You  see,  Brother  Eodeny,  he  took  them 
while  I  was  up  stairs.  No  fault  of  mine,  I  assure 
you." 

' '  I  reckon  they  are  all  safe  and  no  harm  is 
done.  They  have  no  value  to  any  person  in  the 
world  except  myself  and  Howard.  I  expect, 
Felix,  I  am  under  obligations  to  you  for  this 
early  recovery  of  these  heart  treasures,"  answered 
Colonel  Grayson,  holding  up  a  bundle  of  the 
letters  from  his  wife. 

"Don't  mention  that,  Brother  Rodeny.  If 
you  only  would  call  on  me  oftener  I  might  be  of 
service  to  you.  How  is  Mary  Lou  and  how  is  her 
patient  doing  this  morning?  " 

"  Tolerably  well,  I  think,  in  both  cases." 

And  the  parson  drove  on.  Pleas,  who  stood 
by  while  the  explanation  was  being  made,  did  not 
forgive  as  quickly  as  his  master,  or  perhaps  sus- 
pected more  evil.  As  he  lifted  the  bag  full  of 
documents,  he  said  to  Colonel  Grayson:  "  Dat 
Jonas  Smith  git  hisself  hu't,  he  doan  min'."- 

The  harvest  of  all  this  splurge  was  a  stack  of 
old  squirrel  guns  and  flintlocks,  each  and  every 
one  of  which  was  a  keepsake.  Some  had  been 
handed  down  from  ancestors  who  had  braved  the 
terrors  of  pioneer  life,  or  the  perils  of  the  war  for 
Independence.  The  witnesses  of  incipient  insur- 
rection or  sedition  were  wholly  wanting. 

But  the  exploit  had  its  issue.  The  delicate 
social  structure  that  had  been  reared  over  the 
waste  and  ruin  of  the  war,  was  rent;  the  quiet 


214  In  the  Wake  of  War 

of  home  life  was  barbarously  shocked ;  the  parole, 
given  in  good  faith,  was  dishonorably  violated, 
—  but  not  by  the  ex-confederate  —  all  this  by  the 
ruffianly  interposition  of  the  political  arm  of  the 
Government,  the  Government  that  had  exchanged 
its  vows  of  protection  for  unconditional  surrender. 
The  apprehensive  ones  were  again  alarmed,  and 
as  they  met  asked  one  of  another:  "  What  next?  " 
The  more  hopeful  said:  "  The  honor  of  the  victor 
must  equal  the  humiliation  of  the  vanquished, 
hence  our  perfect  peace  is  near."  But  they  knew 
not  the  force  of  Political  Necessity — that  god  or 
demon  that  is  blind  to  contract,  express  or  im- 
plied, and  deaf  to  every  appeal  for  justice  and 
humanity. 

After  a  few  days  of  turmoil  and  anxiety,  the 
work  of  rebuilding  and  the  burden  of  sorrow  and 
disappointment  were  resumed.  The  loss  of  time 
was  small,  but  the  hours  were  precious  in  the 
frenzied  struggle  for  bread.  The  added  weight  of 
sorrow  and  gloom  to  those  already  staggering  with 
their  melancholy  load,  represented  the  iniquity  of 
the  whole  proceeding. 

Captain  Avery,  who  carried  a  full  store  of  offi- 
cial dignity  and  independence,  sought  no  open- 
ing for  an  explanation  of  his  conduct  in  making 
the  search,  and  continued  without  interruption  his 
visits  to  Elmington,  and  his  rides  on  horseback 
in  company  with  Mary  Lou.  The  third  day  after 
the  incident  of  the  search  he  met  Manning  Lewis 
there  and  marked  a  formality  of  manner  in  him 
never  before  displayed.  This  was  new  treatment, 
and  Avery  dismissed  it  as  one  of  the  unhappy 
results   of   the   raid.     He   had   expected  it  from 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  215 

every  quarter,  and  had  been  surprised  that  the 
Grajsons  had  not  so  much  as  mentioned  the  sub- 
ject. Of  the  score  of  persons  affected  by  the 
search  whom  he  had  met,  Lewis  was  the  only  one 
who  made  show  of  resentment. 

On  the  other  hand  Manning  Lewis  had  watched 
with  keen  interest  the  frequent  rides  of  the  Fed- 
eral Captain  with  Mary  Lou.  This  had  given  him 
no  unusual  concern,  for  he  knew  of  her  unflagging 
loyalty  to  her  people,  and  often  had  listened  to 
her  sharp  raillery  of  Avery.  But  now,  after  the 
most  high-handed  exhibition  of  authority,  the 
Captain  continued  his  visits,  and  to  all  appear- 
ances, was  as  heartily  received  as  before.  He 
now  felt  certain  that  his  rival  had  made  an  impres- 
sion beyond  his  most  jealous  fears. 

Avery's  progress  must  be  stopped  at  all  haz- 
ards; yet  Lewis  dared  not  mention  the  matter 
either  to  Mary  Lou  or  Hov/ard.  There  was  sug- 
gested but  one  course  —  Avery  must  answer  to 
him  in  person.  Yet  he  had  no  right  or  claim 
to  speak  for  Mary  Lou;  only  Hov/ard  or  Colonel 
Grayson  could  do  that,  and  they  seemed  content. 
As  he  brooded  over  the  disappointment  that 
threatened  him,  the  matter  of  the  recent  search 
struck  him  full  in  the  face  like  a  personal  rebuff. 
The  stealth  and  mistrust  of  the  incursion  was  an 
outrage  to  their  honorable  intentions  and  well- 
observed  parole.  Some  one  ought  to  be  made 
responsible  for  this  gratuitous  and  brutal  insult  to 
all  his  people;  and  who,  but  Avery,  could  be  held 
to  accountability  ? 

Without  considering  the  political  results  of  the 
act,  he  decided  to  raise  a  personal  quarrel  and  get 


216  In  the  Wake  of  War 

his  revenge.  Twice  he  sought  a  meeting,  casual 
in  appearance,  but  failed.  On  the  third  evening 
occasion  favored,  and  Manning  Lewis  and  Captain 
Avery  met  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  on  the  old 
Kosciusko  turnpike. 

Avery  was  riding  the  horse  of  his  lieutenant 
and  leading  his  own  horse,  all  accoutred  for  Miss 
Mary  Lou.  He  was  already  late  for  his  appoint- 
ment, and  was  making  all  possible  speed,  but 
Manning  with  his  horse  across  the  way,  blocked 
the  pike. 

"Good-evening,  Captain  Avery,"  said  Man- 
ning, in  no  friendly  voice  and  manner.  "  I  have 
hoped  for  several  days  to  see  you,  when  there 
were  no    ladies    present,   to    have    a  little  talk." 

"I  will  grant  you  a  few  minutes,  with  the 
greatest  of  pleasure,  although  I  am  already  late 
for  my  appointment.  How  can  I  serve  you. 
Lieutenant  Lewis  ?  " 

"  In  no  way,  I  thank  you  ;  we  of  the  South  are 
asking  no  service  right  now.  I  have  been  wanting 
to  ask  you  why  you  insisted  on  putting  that  in- 
famous order  for  the  search  of  our  house  into  such 
peremptory  and  oppressive  form  ?  " 

"Well,  Lieutenant,  in  the  first  place,  I  don't 
know  that  I  '  insisted '  on  doing  it.  I  had  the 
order  and  executed  it  as  seemed  best  to  me.  All 
were  treated  alike;  no  favors  were  shown.  I 
believe  that  is  all  I  am  called  upon  to  explain." 

"  But  you  found  nothing;  we  are  keeping  our 
paroles;  in  fact  the  gentlemen  of  this  part  of  the 
country  have  the  habit  of  keeping  their  word.  It 
looked  to  me  like  you  suspected  us  to  be  guilty  of 
violating  our  oaths  of  surrender.      You  knew  all 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  217 

this,  yet  indulged  in  an  insinuating,  suspicious 
business." 

' '  I  regret  that  my  method  of  executing  instruc- 
tions does  not  accord  with  the  customs  of  this 
Section,  and  consequently  has  not  pleased  you  ; 
but  I  have  no  explanation  or  apology  to  offer  in 
this  instance.  I  did  not  stop  to  consider  results, 
and  never  do  when  I  have  orders  at  stake.  You 
are  a  military  man,  and  know  how  that  is.  Lieu- 
tenant Lewis." 

' '  I  am  not  asking  for  excuses,  or  explanations, 
or  apologies,  or  whether  I  am  a  military  man,  or 
what  I  know.  You  represent  power,  force,  arms, 
and  a  cowardly  administration;  one  that  does  not 
blush  or  hesitate  to  strike  a  people  who  are  hun- 
gry and  defenceless.  We  have  been  deceived  in 
you,  that 's  all.  "We  have  thought  you  better 
than  your  company,  but  this  underhanded  stroke 
convinces  me  that  you  are  one  of  them,  a  willing 
tool  for  scoundrels." 

"That's  pretty  strong  language.  Lieutenant 
Lewis." 

"I  have  no  wish  to  modify  it,  sir.  If  neces- 
sary, I  can  express  my  meaning  more  directly." 

"Oh,  I  understand  you,  perfectly;  but,  the 
time  is  inopportune  for  a  discussion  that  follows 
the  turn  you  have  given  to  this.  I  have  an 
engagement  with  a  lady  at  this  moment,"  said 
Avery,  coolly  looking  at  his  watch,  "  and  must 
bid  you  good-evening.  But  I  shall  be  at  my 
headquarters  later  and  will  attend  to  any  commu- 
nication you  may  see  fit  to  address  to  me.  Or, 
I  will  see  Mr.  Dodge  on  my  way,  and  try  to 
arrange  for  him  to  represent  me. ' ' 


218  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Ah,  if  a  lady  is  waiting,  I  will  not  longer 
detain  you,  but  will  bid  you  good-evening,  Cap- 
tain Avery." 

And  each  rode  his  way. 

Avery  pushed  on  with  all  possible  speed  toward 
Elmington,  his  thoughts  dividing  honors  between 
the  two  extremes:  the  prospect  of  a  personal 
encounter  with  Manning  Lewis,  and  the  anticipa- 
tion of  a  pleasant  ride  with  Mary  Lou.  "Well, 
here  is  a  pretty  fight  on  hand,  just  when  I  thought 
everything  was  going  swimmingly,"  he  rumi- 
nated. "And  it  will  be  a  fight,  too;  as  Mary 
Lou  would  say,  a  '  sure-enough '  fight.  But, 
thank  heaven,  I  shall  have  one  ride  more.  Guess 
I  brought  it  on  myself,  although  Lewis  played  the 
fool  —  unless  he  proposes  to  stand  sponsor  for  the 
whole  country.  I  might  have  known  that  some- 
body would  take  me  up;  these  people  stand 
together  so  infernally.  I  suppose  Miss  Mary  Lou 
will  be  more  charming  than  ever  to-night,  and 
then  I  shall  wish  that  I  had  been  more  con- 
ciliatory. ' ' 

At  Saunders'  Lodge  he  made  a  stop,  to  confer 
with  Mr.  Dodge. 

"I  have  a  little  affair  on,"  said  Avery,  "  and 
I  have  called  to  ask  you  to  help  me  through  the 
preliminaries.  I  can  not  call  in  any  of  the  men 
in  my  company,  without  involving  them  in  trouble 
with  the  Department;  and  I  know  your  discretion 
is  to  be  trusted.  In  all  probability  it  will  be  over 
inside  of  twelve  hours.  Perhaps  you  would  like 
to  be  present  at  the  finish." 

' '  With  pleasure.  Captain,  with  pleasure!  When 
I  was  up  North  for  my  health,  I  came  near  having 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  219 

one  of  these  little  scraps  myself,  over  a  substitute 
I  had  sold;  but  the  other  fellow  got  wind  of  the 
fact  I  was  from  Tennessee  and  would  fight,  and 
he  just  pulled  out  and  ran  —  ran  like  a  turkey. 
Now,  Captain,  what  instructions? "  said  Dodge, 
with  his  inevitable  bluster. 

"None!  Agree  to  everything  but  delay;  I  want 
the  thing  over  with  at  the  break  of  day  to-morrow. 
Above  all,  don't  mention  it  to  any  person." 

"  What  surgeon.  Captain  ?  " 

"None!  I  don't  want  any  fool  doctor  to  go 
away  and  blab  the  whole  thing.  Leave  that  to 
Lewis.  By  the  way,  1  forgot  to  mention  that 
Lieutenant  Lewis  will  send  a  friend  to  confer  with 
you  to-night,  probably." 

"Lewis?  Whew!  There  is  great  blood  in  the 
veins  of  Manning  Lewis.  But  it's  better  for  you 
that  it  is  Manning  rather  than  the  old  Major. 
The  young  blood  is  game,  though.  Yes,  siree  ! 
What  distance,  Captain  ?  Better  make  it  one 
hundred  feet  !  ' ' 

"  Let  him  name  the  distance." 

"About  weapons,  shall  it  be  duelling  pistols  or 
navy  revolvers?"  persisted  Dodge,  who  was 
trying  to  show  familiarity  with  affairs  of  honor. 

"  I  don't  care  which.  Please  arrange  these  de- 
tails, and  report  to  me  to-night,  so  that  I  can  fix 
some  little  matters  and  be  on  time  in  the  mornins;. " 

"But,  Captain,  this  is  very  sudden,"  said 
Dodge,  who  began  to  comprehend  that  he  was 
about  to  engage  in  serious  business.  "How  did 
it  come  about  ?  Is  the  fellow  jealous  ?  Yes,  yes, 
that's  it;  you're  taking  his  sweetheart  by  storm, 
and  it  nettles  him." 


220  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"I  bad  not  thought  of  that,"  answered  Avery. 
"No,  it  is  the  consequence  of  that  infernal  search 
I  had  to  make.  I  might  have  conducted  it  with 
more  consideration.  If  I  had  not  been  received 
socially,  results  would  have  been  different;  but 
under  the  circumstances,  my  method  was  a  little 
harsh.  Then  I  refused  to  make  any  explanation, 
and  got  called  down;  so  there  you  have  it.  And 
now  I  am  off  for  another  ride,  perhaps  my  last." 

He  found  Mary  Lou  waiting,  not  impatiently, 
but  with  her  spirit  of  raillery  in  full  command. 

"Oh,  I  am  BO  glad  you  are  late!  Energy, 
promptness,  and  hurry  are  such  virtues  with  you 
Yankees  that  I  rejoice  in  your  downfall,"  she 
exclaimed. 

' '  I  never  explain  or  apologize  to  men  when  I 
become  the  victim  of  the  inevitable;  but  with 
ladies  it  is  different.  I  started  out  in  good  time, 
but  was  twice  interrupted,  and  had  to  be  absolutely 
rude  to  get  here  by  now.  I  hope  you  have  not 
been  inconvenienced." 

"  Not  in  the  least.  How  differently  we  regard 
things  !  With  us  an  interruption  of  a  business 
nature  is  cast  aside  until  a  mOre  convenient  time; 
but  when  we  meet  a  neighbor  in  the  turnpike,  to 
stop  for  a  visit  is  the  inevitable." 

"Well,  my  delay  was  caused  by  business  and 
pleasure  both,  so  I  stand  justified  before  you  and 
with  myself.  What  a  glorious  evening  for  a 
ride  !  " 

For  the  hour  Avery  was  in  his  best  spirits;  his 
military  mood  seemed  to  have  loosened  by  reac- 
tion from  the  strain  of  his  quarrel.  When  he 
was  about  to  take  his  leave,  he  remarked,  rather 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  221 

casually:  "I  would  gladly  ask  for  a  canter  to- 
morrow evening,  but  at  this  moment  I  am  not  cer- 
tain that  the  time  will  be  at  my  disposal.  Can't 
tell  exactly  how  it  will  be  with  me  at  this  time, 
twenty-four  hours  hence."  Then  with  more  feel- 
ing he  continued:  "  You  can  not  know  how  these 
rides  have  broken  the  tedium  of  camp  life,  and 
relieved  the  round  of  duties  —  often  distasteful 
duties." 

' '  I  never  before  knew  that  a  good  soldier 
found  duties  odious,"  she  answered.  "Soldiers 
are  supposed  to  like  duty;  that  is  what  keeps 
them  in  the  service  in  times  of  peace,  like  the 
present.  Be  that  as  it  may,  my  company  has 
furnished  a  sort  of  antidote,  and  I  have  not  lived 
in  vain.  But  seriously,  Captain  Avery,  these 
evening  rides  have  brought  me  a  world  of  health 
and  a  good  bit  of  pleasure." 

' '  No,  Miss  Grayson,  duties  are  not  always 
pleasant,  and  I  never  shall  have  a  better  oppor- 
tunity than  the  present  to  make  you  my  confessor. 
I  had  an  order  to  execute  only  a  few  days  ago 
that  was  most  detestable.  That  all  my  friends 
here  did  not  misunderstand  me  is  the  only  com- 
pensation I  have  for  the  secret  misery  I  endured." 

"  But  to  hate  one's  duty  is  not  heroic." 

' '  Then  cowardly,  be  it.  I  am  thinking  seri- 
ously of  quitting  the  service  because  I  can  see  it 
is  drifting  toward  a  line  of  work  that  will  be 
intolerable  to  me.  If  I  had  no  friends  here, 
matters  would  be  different." 

"  Have  soldiers  friends,  then  ?  1  thought  they 
had  orders,  alone;  and  knew  only  obedience. 
You  are   becoming   really  entertaining    and    in- 


222  In  the  Wake  of  War 

structive.      Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  the  sol- 
dier can  distinguish  between  friend    and    foe  ? " 

"  In  his  heart,  he  can." 

"In  his  heart!  What  is  that  in  the  soldier  ?  " 
she  interrupted,   tantalizingly. 

"Oh,  we  have  hearts,  or  perhaps  sentiments, 
that  we  choose  to  designate  as  hearts.  It  is  the 
presence  of  those  sentiments  that  has  caused  me 
many  times  to  think  of  quitting  the  service. 
When  I  have  returned  from  one  of  these  rides 
through  this  most  varied  and  beautiful  spread  of 
nature,  in  company  with  the  most  charming  young 
lady  in  the  world,  I  hate  myself  for  my  occu- 
pation." 

"  Keally,  Captain  Avery  ?  Then  your  antidote 
is  only  another  poison.  You  are  indeed  sorely 
afflicted." 

"But  I  have  decided  to  resign  my  commission 
—  decided  on  it  to-night.  I  think  that  I  shall 
settle  down  here  in  Tennessee  and  become  a 
planter.  I  like  the  people  here  the  best  of  any 
I  ever  have  known;  I  like  your  easy  way  of  visit- 
ing when  you  ought  to  be  at  work.  There  seems 
to  be  in  life  something  more  than  the  bustle  and 
wrangle  of  money-getting.  Do  you  think  I  '11  be 
welcomed  as  a  citizen?" 

"Every  gentleman  who  speaks  the  English 
language  and  attends  to  his  own  affairs  is  welcome 
in  the  South;  and  I  believe  you  answer  these 
qualifications.  But  are  you  certain  that  you  can 
accustom  yourself  permanently  to  our  slow,  easy 
ways  ?  ' ' 

"Perhaps  that  would  depend  on  my  immediate 
surroundings.     But  I  have  decided  to  resign;  and 


In  Which  Trouble  Threatens  223 

after  that,  I'll  take  up  the  matter  of  resigning 
myself  to  your  methods  of  life  in  a  regular  and 
systematic  manner,-'  he  said,  thoughtfully. 

"Be  certain  to  do  everything  in  regular  and 
systematic  order;  that  is  both  military  and  Yan- 
kee-like. I 've  had  a  delightful  ride;  good-night." 
And  she  went  into  the  house,  serious  enough 
beneath  the  surface  of  nonsense  and  banter. 


XIX 

Sunrise  and  Psstols 

AFTER  an  hour  of  vain  protest,  Howard  Gray- 
.  son  consented  to  represent  his  old  comrade 
in  his  quarrel ;  but,  to  speak  the  whole  truth,  he 
acquiesced  only  when  Manning  threatened  to  look 
elsewhere  for  a  friend  and  second.  Howard 
sought  to  carry  overtures  of  peace. 

"You  know.  Manning,  that  I  don't  believe 
in  this  method  of  settling  disputes,  until  every 
argument  has  failed,"  he  said.  "  You  and  Avery 
are  both  such  reasonable  fellows,  it  is  impossible 
that  this  quarrel  should  lead  to  the  Bluff,  if  either 
will  give  over  a  bit." 

"Yes,  you  are  like  father,"  answered  Manning. 
"He  prates  against  affairs  of  honor,  and  claims 
that  he  never  did  believe  in  them;  yet  he  has  been 
out  twice  and  is  ready  to  go  again  on  very  slight 
provocation.  No,  I  shall  stand  to  the  ground  I 
have  taken,  and  if  you  want  to  be  present  at  the 
finish,  go  at  once  and  arrange  with  Dodge  for  the 
meeting.  JSTo  delays,  old  man;  to-morrow  morn- 
ing, early,  and  on  the  Bluff.  That  is  a  lucky 
place  for  the  Lewises;  father  came  off  twice  with- 
out a  scratch;  and  I  need  all  the  luck  I  can  get, 
for  Avery  is  a  good  man.  He  's  the  pluckiest 
Yankee  ever  I  knew." 

Howard  more  than  half  suspected  that  his 
friend  was  moved  more  by  jealousy  than  by  any 
other  passion,  and  he  still  hoped  to  make  peace. 
He  would  work  through  Mi-.  Dodge,  he  thought. 

224 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  225 

But  in  this  hope  Howard  was  again  to  be  dis- 
appointed, for  Dodge  was  mightily  swelled  with 
importance.  This  was  his  first  appearance  in  any 
capacity  in  a  personal  affair,  and  the  three  hours 
that  had  passed  since  his  talk  with  Avery  had 
been  occupied  with  imbibing  bellicose  sentiments 
and  rehearsing  lofty  speeches.  In  the  Saunders 
library  were  several  books  on  Chivalry,  handed 
down  from  pre-revolutionary  times,  when  the  first 
of  the  name  and  family  came  over  from  England 
to  the  rugged  estate  of  a  youngest  son.  These 
books  Dodge  ran  over  hastily,  reading  a  paragraph 
here  and  there,  until  he  was  charged  to  explosion 
with  quixotic  sentiments. 

It  needed  but  the  appearance  of  Howard  at  the 
library  door  to  touch  him  off. 

"  Well,  well,  my  boy,  come  at  last  have  you? 
Been  waiting  for  you  for  more  than  two  hours  ! 
Nasty  business,  ain't  it?  Yes,  yes,  especially  for 
you,  who  have  to  represent  the  oppressor.  Sorry 
for  you,  Howard,  sorry  for  you  ;  indeed  I  am ! 
Lewis  is  an  oppressor,  and  ought  to  die;  yes, 
su'ee,  ought  to  die;  and  by  thunder,  he  shall 
die!  The  villain,  the  villain!  Horrible,  yes  sir, 
horrible  of  him  to  way- lay  an  honorable  gentle- 
man in  the  King's  high  road  and  there  insult  him 
until  he  is  forced  to  challenge,  or  flee  like  a 
coward.  And  what  is  it  all  about  ?  Why,  for- 
sooth, Avery  has  stolen  his  lady-love!  Well, 
Howard,  shall  we  proceed  to  business  ?  What 
suggestions  or  demands  have  you  to  make  in 
behalf  of  this  oppressor  ?  " 

Howard  smiled  coldly  during  this  tirade,  and  as 
it  came  to  an  end  some  minutes  sooner  than  he 


226  In  the  Wake  of  War 


expected  it  would,  was  not  quite  prepared  with  a 
direct  answer. 

' '  I  have  been  trying  to  bring  about  peace,  Mr. 
Dodge.  It  seems  entirely  unnecessary  that  these 
two  gentlemen,  both  of  whom  are  friends  to  you 
and  me,  should  face  each  other  with  pistols.  That 
means  that  one  or  perhaps  two  good  friends  are 
to  be  shot  down  before  our  eyes,  when  we  might 
prevent  it." 

"No  instructions  on  that  subject,  my  boy, 
sorry  to  say,  for  I  would  do  almost  anything  to 
please  you.  No,  no,  your  party  is  the  oppressor, 
and  if  he  is  afraid  to  fight  just  out  with  it,  and  I 
will  inform  my  principal,  and  all  is  oif.  I  never 
thought  Manning  Lewis  was  a  coward;  but  if  he 
is,  just  say  so  !  Out  with  it,  Howard,  my  boy, 
and  we  will  declare  this  tourney  nil !  Is  Lewis 
afraid?" 

"You  know  the  Lewis  blood  too  well  to  ask 
any  such  question  seriously,  Mr.  Dodge.  I 
worked  for  an  hour  to  get  to  bring  a  message 
of  peace;  and  failing  of  that,  to  have  the  thing 
delayed  a  day,  but  to  no  avail.  Won't  Captain 
Avery  make  some  concessions  ?  ' ' 

"  Well,  I  guess  not;  not  Captain  Avery!  If 
he  does  I  shall  refuse  to  represent  him.  I  won't 
mix  with  cowards.  When  I  was  up  North  for  my 
health,  I  had  an  affair  on  my  hands;  but  the  other 
fellow  got  wind  that  I  was  from  Tennessee,  and  he 
just  naturally  slunk  out.  Ran  like  a  turkey!  No, 
Howard,  we  are  here  to  arrange  the  joust  —  but 
it's  not  quite  a  joust  either,"  said  Mr.  Dodge, 
turning  the  pages  of  one  of  his  musty  old  volumes, 
"no,  a  joust  is  a  mock  battle;  it's  a  tilt,  a  real, 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  227 

sure-euough  battle.  My  principal  says  to-morrow 
at  sunrise.     What  say  you,  Howard?  " 

"The  hour  is  satisfactory  to  us.  But  can't  we 
fix  it  up?  I  tell  you  Mr.  Dodge,  I  despise  to 
think  that  I  must  see  one  or  perhaps  two  personal 
friends  shot  down  over  a  petty  quarrel.  Let 's 
go  together  and  see  Avery  right  now;  I  can  talk 
with  him  freely." 

"Time  agreed  on,"  said  Dodge,  in  a  business 
air.  "  We  shall  get  this  up  pretty  quickly.  I 
like  a  hustler,  Howard,  in  anything.  Well,  what 
next?  What  next?  "  And  he  consulted  a  memo- 
randum sheet  in  which  he  had  a  list  of  require- 
ments for  a  businesslike  duel,  and  scratched  off 
the  first  item  with  his  pencil.  "Now  weapons 
come  next.  Which  shall  it  be?  Swords,  guns, 
pistols,  navy-revolvers,  or  what?  Take  your 
choice,   Howard." 

"If  this  infamous  business  must  proceed,  I 
shall  have  to  say  regulation  pistols,"  said  How- 
ard doggedly,  for  he  began  to  suspect  that  he 
would  have  to  make  overtures  of  peace  through 
another  than  Dodge. 

"Good  again,  and  satisfactory!  We  shall 
have  no  trouble,  Howard,"  said  Dodge,  as  he 
scratched  another  entry  from  his  memorandum; 
and  without  looking  up  he  called  off:  "Item 
three,    on  foot  or  horseback  ?  ' ' 

"  Horses  are  somewhat  out  of  vogue  for  such 
events  I  believe,  Mr.  Dodge." 

"Not  necessarily,  my  boy,  not  necessarily! 
All  a  matter  of  agreement.  But  you  say  on 
foot  and  so  it  shall  be.  Item  four,  distance. 
What  say  you,  Howard,  to  one  hundred  feet?" 


228  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  The  most  reasonable  and  peaceful  suggestion 
you  have  made;  but  neither  would  consent  to  it," 
answered  Howard. 

"They  will  have  to  consent  to  it  !  We  are 
fixing  this  matter,  and  if  we  say  forty  yards  with 
brickbats,  they  must  abide  the  decision."  And 
Mr.  Dodge  again  referred  to  one  of  his  books  on 
Chivalry,  for  proper  authority  in  the  premises. 
"These  men  are  in  our  hands,  Howard,  and 
must  fulfill  our  agreements  or  both  stand  before 
the  world  branded  as  arrant  cowards  and  oppress- 
ive villains.  What  else  is  a  second  for?  I  am 
looking  for  proper  authority,  and  I  have  it  too,  in 
these  good  old  books." 

"Well,  say  twenty-five  paces,  then,"  said 
Howard,  by  way  of  compromise  that  would  stop 
Dodge  from  reading  half  a  volume  of  authorities, 
obsolete  by  more  than  two  centuries. 

"Well  and  good,"  consented  Mr.  Dodge,  lay- 
ing down  the  book  and  scratching  the  item  of 
distance    off   his    sheet.      "Item   five,   surgeon." 

"  We  don't  care  for  any,"  answered  Howard. 
"If  I  don't  make  the  presence  of  a  surgeon 
unnecessary,  by  fixing  the  matter  up,  then  we  will 
take  the  consequences." 

"Avery  don't  want  any,  either,"  said  Dodge. 
"And  that's  the  only  thing  I  object  to.  Now, 
let's  have  Doctor  Anderson.      What   say  you?" 

"1  don't  care,"  said  Howard,  carelessly;  he 
was  still  thinking  of  settlement. 

' '  Scratch  item  five,  all  settled  !  Item  six, 
audience.     How  many  shall  we  invite?" 

"Nobody  but  principals,  seconds,  and  the  sur- 
geon, of  course." 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  229 

"Well  and  good,"  and  Dodge  made  another 
scratch  across  the  paper.  ' '  Item  seven,  place. 
Where  shall  it  be?" 

"On  the  old  Bluff,  I  reckon,"  said  Howard, 
thoughtfully;  for  fixing  the  place,  more  than  any 
other  article,  had  made  the  event  seem  real  to  him. 

"Item  eight,  rounds.     How  many,  Howard?" 

"One,  only  one." 

"Well  and  good,  again."  And  Dodge  made 
another  dash  at  his  memorandum  sheet  with  his 
pencil.  "Now,  Howard,  the  whole  thing  is 
fixed,  I  believe,  according  to  degenerate  modern 
usage.  In  good  old  times,  our  ancestors  had 
some  twenty  matters  of  detail  to  arrange.  Go  to 
the  oppressor  and  report ;  I  will  see  Captain 
Avery,  and  we  will  all  meet  on  the  Bluff  at  sun- 
up. Wait  now,  and  let  me  arrange  a  written 
report  for  my  principal;  this  must  be  done  in  a 
businesslike  manner."  And  he  took  pen  and 
paper,  reading  aloud  as  he  wrote,  item  by  item, 
all  the  cold-blooded  details. 

"Want  a  copy,  Howard  ? "  he  asked. 

"No,  I  think  not,  thank  you;  guess  I  can 
remember  all  this  disgusting  business.  Good- 
night,  Mr.    Dodge." 

"Good-night,  Howard.  We  have  arranged 
what  will  no  doubt  be  a  celebrated  duel ;  may  go 
into  history,  my  boy.  Lewis  and  Avery,  duel; 
Dodge  and  Grayson,  seconds;  Anderson,  M.  D., 
surgeon.  Beads  well,  don't  it  ?  Such  is  history ; 
such  is  fame,"  said  Mr.  Dodge,  as  he  lighted 
Howard  down  the  hall. 

The  two  men  prepared  for  the  event  with  delib- 
eration and  perfect  tranquillity  of  spirit.     Manning 


230  In  the  Wake  of  War 


had  two  letters  written  when  Howard  drew  rein 
under  his  window  at  Fairfax,  to  tell  him  that  the 
arrangement  required  his  presence  on  the  Bluff  at 
sunrise.  One  was  to  his  father  and  mother;  the 
other  to  Marj  Lou. 

Avery  had  written  and  signed  his  resignation 
from  the  army,  to  take  effect  on  that  day,  July 
Ist,  the  day  before  the  meeting,  when  Dodge 
arrived  at  camp  and  made  known  the  terms  and 
conditions.  The  Captain  excused  himself  for  a 
moment  and  went  to  the  tent  of  his  first  lieutenant, 
whom  he  awoke  from  sound  sleep.  "  I  am  going 
out  gimning  with  some  friends  early  in  the  morn- 
ing,"  he  said  to  his  second  officer,  "and  if,  by 
any  chance,  I  should  be  delayed  beyond  noon, 
please  to  see  that  this  letter  is  posted  so  that  it 
will  reach  the  adjutant  on  the  afternoon  train. 
Don't  post  before  noon,  for  if  I  get  back  in  time 
and  feel  like  it,  I  may  run  down  to  Nashville 
myself." 

And  after  delivering  some  general  orders  for 
camp  duty  in  the  morning,  he  returned  to  face  an 
hour's  bombast  from  Mr.  Dodge.  The  enthusias- 
tic second  discoursed  learnedly  on  affairs  of  honor, 
not  failing  to  quote  authority  in  support  of  all  his 
wild  propositions.  But  the  question  of  peace,  he 
never  once  mentioned. 

At  last,  to  the  infinite  relief  of  Avery,  who 
had  yawned  several  times,  Mr.  Dodge  with- 
drew and  started  for  home.  Scarcely  had  he 
mounted  his  horse  and  turned  down  the  dark 
street  when  Howard  Grayson  stepped  from  the 
shadow  of  a  tree  and  moved  quickly  to  the 
Captain's    tent. 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  231 

"I  can  not  go  home  without  making  one  effort 
to  bring  about  an  understanding  between  you  and 
Lieutenant  Lewis,"  he  said,  without  waiting  to  say 
good-evening.  ' '  I  have  presumed  on  the  friend- 
ship I  feel  for  you,  and  that  I  believe  you  bear  to 
my  family  to  violate  one  of  the  most  stringent 
rules  of  the  Code,  and  to  see  privately  the  oppos- 
ing principal  before  the  event.  Can't  this  busi- 
ness be  stopped  now  and  here?" 

"  You  are  certainly  very  good,  but  I  don't  quite 
see  how,  especially  as  your  party  is  the  aggressor, " 
answered  Avery,  with  some  indifference.  ' '  This 
is  no  quarrel  of  my  seeking  —  it  came  as  a  com- 
plete surprise  —  and  I  must  either  fight  or  run. 
I  'm  too  lazy  to  run,  so  I  suppose,  it 's  fight." 

"Manning  Lewis  and  I  have  been  friends  since 
before  either  of  us  can  remember,  and  never  had 
a  quarrel  to  last  above  ten  minutes,"  said  How- 
ard. "I  would  shudder  to  see  him  face  my 
worst  enemy;  but  now  arrangements  are  complete 
for  him  to  face  you,  whom  I  have  come  to  regard 
my  good  personal  friend  —  second  to  Manning 
only  in  length  of  acquaintance.  The  truth  is, 
Avery,  we  all  feel  under  obligations  to  you." 

"Stop  there,  please,"  said  Avery,  good-na- 
turedly. "The  Grayson  family  owes  me  nothing, 
not  even  good-will.  The  freedom  of  yom-  house 
has  brought  me  more  pleasure  than  any  incident 
of  my  life;  and  I  am  happy  to  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  say  that  now.  I  may  not  have  a  chance 
to  speak  of  it  again,"  he  continued,  with  a  smile. 
' '  To  meet  the  wishes  of  any  member  of  Colonel 
Grayson's  family,  I  will  sacrifice  anything  —  save 
honor.     In  this  emergency,    it  seems  as  if  this 


232  In  the  Wake  of  War 


sacrifice  alone  will  make  peace,  and  I  know  jou 
will  not  ask  it." 

"But  can't  we  stop  it  some  way?  I  have 
worked  so  faithfully  with  Manning,  but  he  will 
not  listen.  He 's  usually  so  reasonable,  but 
to-night  he  is  clean  daft,''  said  Howard,  in  de- 
spair, 

"Then  nothing  can  be  done,  only  to  let  the 
fools  fight  it  out,"  answered  Avery.  "But  to 
you  I  will  say,  in  a  confidence  that  does  not 
extend  beyond  the  Grayson  family,  that  I  don't 
feel  satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  I  executed 
my  last  order  from  the  War  Department.  I 
wanted  to  be  fair  and  impartial,  but  I  did  not 
think  until  it  was  too  late,  that  I  was  going  to 
another  extreme  and  was  doing  what  might  appear 
to  be  a  boorish  act." 

"We  took  no  exceptions  to  that,"  said  How- 
ard, "although  some  did.  Manning  in  particular. 
You  have  duties  to  perform;  and  while  your 
method  of  execution  may  differ  from  mine,  that 
does  not  necessarily  condemn  it.  Let  me  repeat 
this  conversation  to  Manning  and  I  will  vouch  for 
a  complete  cessation  of  hostilities." 

' '  Ah,  no,  I  could  have  done  that  this  evening 
when  he  met  me  in  the  turnpike  and  rallied  me 
so  fiercely,  but  I  chose  the  present  course.  No, 
it  is  none  of  his  business  how  I  execute  military 
orders,  and  I  won't  hold  myself  to  answer  to  him. 
If  I  die,  then  the  Grayson  family  loses  a  friend, 
but  one  who  has  been  of  little  use  to  them,  I 
regret  to  say.'' 

"We  do  not  esteem  our  friends  by  the  quan- 
tity or  quality  of  their  services  to  us,"  answered 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  233 

Howard.  "The  Southern  people  have  higher 
ideas  of  friendship  than  that;  although  when  our 
friends  favor  us  with  an  expression  of  regard  we 
appreciate  it.  Must  I  go  home  without  accom- 
plishing anything  toward  a  reconciliation?" 

"I  fear  so,  Captain  Grayson,"  said  Avery, 
with  a  yawn.  "Pray  excuse  me,  but  the  hour  is 
late  and  I  am  quite  a  regular  sleeper.  Just  let 
things  take  their  course,  and  be  reconciled  to 
results.  But  whatever  the  outcome,  we  under- 
stand each  other  better  than  we  did  before  this 
interview.  If  all  goes  well,  I  shall  retire  from 
the  army  and  live  in  Tennessee;  I  like  most  of 
your  people." 

"I  hope  we  may  all  live  through  to-morrow, 
and  that  you  may  keep  your  resolve  to  become  a 
citizen  here.  You  will  be  welcomed  heartily. 
We  have  great  regard  for  the  amenities  of  life, 
until  we  get  mad,  or  until  our  honor  is  involved. 
I  wish  you  good-night,  Captain  Avery."  And 
they  shook  hands. 

At  daylight  all  were  on  the  Bluff.  Thanks  to 
the  cold-blooded  method  of  Mr.  Dodge,  there 
were  no  revolting  details  to  be  arranged.  He 
and  Howard  withdrew  a  little  distance  with  the 
mahogany  case  containing  Major  Lewis's  pistols. 
The  loading  began,  but  the  sight  of  the  cold  steel 
unnerved  Dodge,  and  his  hand  trembled  so  badly 
that  he  was  forced  to  give  over  the  job  to  Howard. 
The  poor  man  who  had  been  so  fierce  and  loud 
the  night  before,  could  not  speak  a  sentence  —  his 
knees  shook,  he  stammered,  gabbled  incoherently, 
and  seemed  on  the  verge  of  collapse. 


234  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Better  step  off  the  distance,"  said  Howard, 
who  noticed  the  embarrassment  of  his  co-second, 
and  tlioiight  to  relieve  him.  Dodge  returned  to 
the  open  space,  stuck  a  twig  into  the  soil,  fitted 
the  heel  of  his  boot  to  it  carefully  and  started  off, 
counting  each  step  loud  enough  to  be  heard  two 
hundred  yards  away.  "One,  two,  three,  four," 
he  roared  and  staggered  on  until  he  had  counted 
thirteen,  when  he  stepped  on  a  rolling  limb  that 
upset  him  and  lost  him  the  count.  He  started 
again,  roaring  out  the  numbers,  and  puffing 
audibly  with  each  step.  At  last,  with  the  fourth 
essay,  he  had  twenty-five  paces  marked  with  a 
stake  at  either  end,  and  the  distance  was  nearer 
one  hundred  feet  than  the  seventy-five  intended. 

By  this  time  the  sun  had  begun  to  show  above 
the  line  of  the  horizon.  The  scene  was  too 
beautiful  to  be  blurred  by  bloodshed;  yet  man  is 
such  a  beast  that  he  little  regards  the  face  of 
nature  in  the  presence  of  his  passions.  The 
Bluff,  a  stray  spur  of  the  Cumberlands,  rose  sheer 
on  its  face  more  than  a  hundred  feet  above  the 
blue  line  of  the  Opal.  Stretching  away  to  the 
westward  for  more  than  three  miles  was  the  fertile 
and  almost  level  valley,  green  in  varying  shades 
as  crop  or  blue-grass  covered  the  soil.  And, 
winding  through  this  verdant  cover  at  irregular 
intervals  were  the  hedgerows  of  osage-orange, 
hickory,  and  ash,  like  lace-work  of  delicate 
shading  on  a  rich,  sombre  background.  All  this 
was  in  the  shadow,  strong  and  heavy,  for  the  rays 
of  the  sun  were  yet  horizontal. 

Beyond  rose  the  hills  that  bounded  this  Eden 
on  the  west,  like  a  great  wall  decked  with  green 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  235 

and  yellow;  the  drought  had  made  perceptible 
inroads  on  the  verdure  of  the  higher  lands. 
Here  the  sun  first  spread  his  fiery  sheen,  and 
seemed  to  gild  tree,  rock,  and  sloping  field  with 
all  his  morning  splendor.  To  the  east,  the  Bluff 
dropped  off  to  the  turnpike,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
away,  and  was  covered  with  a  dense  forest  of 
oaks,  so  that  the  first  sight  of  breaking  day  was 
reflected  back  from  the  hills  on  the  west. 

While  Howard  was  loading  the  weapons  and 
Mr.  Dodge  was  puffing  and  roaring  with  his  tan- 
gling legs  and  count.  Manning  stood  leaning 
against  a  tree,  contemplating  the  magnificent  view 
of  green  and  gold;  and  Avery,  fifty  yards  away, 
was  unconsciously  demonstrating  his  practical 
nature  by  throwing  bits  of  rock  into  the  calm  sur- 
face of  the  stream  below.  ' '  This  would  make 
a  great  picnic  ground,"  he  said  carelessly  to 
Dodge;  and  when  that  worthy  puffed  doum  near 
Manning,  he,  in  turn,  remarked:  "How  beautiful 
this  view  to  the  west.  I  never  knew  of  it 
before,  or  this  would  not  be  my  first  visit  to  the 
Bluff  at  sunrise."  The  answer  to  Avery  was  : 
"One,"  puff,  "two,"  puff,  "three,"  puff;  to 
Manning  it  was:  "Twenty-three,"  puff,  "twenty- 
four,"  puff",    "twenty-five,"  puff. 

The  weapons  were  loaded,  and  all  preliminaries 
were  arranged.  Before  taking  his  place  Avery 
said  to  Dodge:  "Now  if  this  thing  goes  badly 
for  me,  please  say  to  Lieutenant  Lewis  that  I 
have  resigned  my  commission  and  am  no  longer 
an  officer  in  the  Federal  army.  But  for  that  he 
would  be  liable  to  court-martial,  and  to  be  shot 
for  having  fired  on  an  officer." 


236  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Wait,  wait,"  cried  Dodge,  when  Avery  was 
about  half  through,  "let  me  write  that  down;  my 
memory  is  awfully  bad."  He  had  found  his 
voice,   although  it  was  somewhat  shaky. 

"  Never  mind  the  writing,  better  to  forget  than 
go  to  so  much  trouble.  I  am  under  great  obli- 
gations to  you,  Mr.  Dodge,  for  what  you  have 
done  for  me  in  this  matter;  and  if  you  want  to 
make  the  obligation  complete,  please  do  not  speak 
of  what  has  already  occurred,  or  what  may  occur 
during  the  next  few  minutes  —  at  least  of  my  part 
in  it.  Above  all,  don't  brag  of  my  nerve;  that 
is  my  last  request  before  toeing  the  scratch." 
Dodge  could  not  answer  — he  only  gulped. 

The  principals  were  placed.  Dodge  leaned 
against  a  tree  for  support.  Doctor  Anderson 
started  the  count,    "One,"   but  was  interrupted 

by  the  cry:   "Help,  help!  Doc , "  and  Dodge 

fell  in  a  heap  at  the  foot  of  the  sheltering  tree. 

"  Stand  your  ground;  go  ahead  with  the  count; 
I  don't  care  for  him,"  roared  Avery. 

The  Doctor  continued:   "Two,  three." 

There  was  one  report,  but  there  were  two  puffs 
of  blue  smoke;  the  pistol  dropped  from  Manning 
Lewis's  hand.  Howard  and  the  Doctor  ran  to 
his  support,  but  he  put  them  off,  saying:  "It's 
nothing;  only  a  scratch  on  the  arm.  Load  for 
another  round." 

Avery  turned  on  his  heel,  and  tossed  his 
weapon  to  one  side.  "  Load  if  you  want  to;  I  '11 
stay  for  the  finish,"  he  said,  savagely. 

But  Howard  insisted  that  only  one  shot  was 
provided  for  by  the  terms  of  the  event. 

All    hands    now   turned    in    to    revive   Dodge, 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  237 


which  proved  no  hard  task;  for,  after  he  had  lain 
a  few  minutes  with  his  head  down  hill,  he 
responded  to  a  heroic  dose  from  the  Doctor's 
brandy  flask,  and  gave  a  few  groans  and  other 
signs  of  recovery. 

The  situation  had  grown  suddenly  embarrass- 
ing, by  reason  of  the  general  interest  in  Dodge; 
both  principals  seemed  for  the  moment  to  have 
forgotten  their  quarrel.  Speculation  as  to  what 
the  next  move  in  the  drama  would  have  been, 
(for  a  crisis  of  some  kind  was  imminent,  since  all 
were  on  the  verge  of  laughter  over  the  ludicrous 
spectacle  made  by  Mr.  Dodge),  was  cut  short  by 
a  distant  ' '  Hello, ' '  from  the  direction  of  the  turn- 
pike. Howard  and  Manning  looked  at  each 
other,  and  the  latter  almost  gasped,    "  Father  !  " 

The  first  shout  was  followed  by  another,  then 
a  third,  nearer  and  more  distinct;  and  in  the 
space  of  a  minute's  time  the  sound  of  the  hoof- 
beats  of  a  horse  came  up  through  the  dense  for- 
est. Doctor  Anderson  had  resumed  the  work  of 
bandaging  Manning's  wounded  arm;  Howard  was 
helping  Avery  to  remove  his  coat,  and  Dodge  was 
on  the  ground,  a  groaning,  rolling  mass,  when 
Major  Lewis,  mounted  on  an  old  clay-bank  mule, 
rounded  the  point  of  a  spur  in  the  Bluff  and 
charged  straight  into  the  party.  But  the  precipi- 
tancy of  the  Major's  entry  was  no  fair  measure 
of  his  mental  state.  He  greeted  them:  "Good- 
morning,  gentlemen,"  with  perfect  composure, 
dismounted  leisurely,  surveyed  the  scene  with  the 
eye  of  a  connoisseur,  and  then  said:  — 

' '  What  does  all  this  mean  ? ' ' 

There  was  no  answer. 


238  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  I  seem  to  have  surprised  a  little  party  of 
some  sort.  You  must  excuse  me  for  appearing 
here  without  a  formal  invitation  —  it  is  purely 
accidental,   I  assure  you  alL" 

"A  little  misunderstanding,  Major  Lewis,  but 
all  is  over  now,  I  reckon,"  said  Howard,  who 
was  first  to  find  speech. 

"All  over  with  Dodge,  I  should  say,"  re- 
marked the  Major,  coolly.  "  But  what  kind  of  a 
performance  was  it  !  Manning  bandaged.  Cap- 
tain Avery  bleeding,  and  Dodge  scared  to  death! 
This  must  have  been  a  three-cornered  fight,  the 
like  of  which  I  never  heard,  outside  of  Marryat's 
'  Midshipman  Easy. '  If  you  will  pardon  the 
intrusion  of  my  coming  here  unbidden,  I  will 
trespass  again  to  ask  an  explanation.  What 
means  this  business,  Manning?" 

For  all  the  good-nature  of  his  remarks,  there 
was  a  quality  of  anxiety  and  an  inflection  of  com- 
mand in  the  Major's  voice.  Manning  answered 
as  indifferently  as  possible:  "Captain  Avery  and 
I  had  a  misunderstanding,  and  have  settled  it; 
Dodge  fainted  on  the  sound  of  Doctor  Anderson's 
voice." 

"Never  mind  about  this  booby,"  said  the 
Major,  with  a  glance  at  Dodge.  ' '  You  and  Cap- 
tain Avery  had  a  misunderstanding?  Well,  I 
am  damned!  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  ?  If  you 
were  not  twenty-four  years  old  I  would  rawhide 
you  right  here.  Don't  you  know  that  Captain 
Avery  is  my  personal  friend  ?  That  we  are  all 
under  a  thousand  obligations  to  him  ?  No,  I 
reckon  you  didn't  know  it,"  Then  turning  to 
Avery,    he    continued:    "Captain,    allow    me    to 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  239 

apologize  for  the  impetuosity  of  niy  family.  The 
boy  did  not  know  how  highly  I  esteem  you,  or 
your  morning's  nap  never  would  have  been  dis- 
turbed for  this  performance.  I  don't  know  where 
the  boy  gets  this  rash  temper — from  his  mother's 
family,  I  reckon ! ' '  There  was  a  peculiar  twinkle 
in  the  Major's  eye  as  he  made  this  explanation. 
"Allow  me,  Captain  Avery,  to  introduce  to  you 
my  son,  Manning  —  Lieutenant  Manning  Lewis. 
Manning,  my  son,  this  is  Captain  Avery,  my 
esteemed  personal  friend."  And  the  young  men 
gave  each  to  the  other  his  left  hand,  shook  awk- 
wardly, and  looked  foolish. 

"  Did  he  stand  his  ground,  Captain?  "  asked 
the  Major. 

' '  Your  son  is  a  gentleman,  and  as  brave  as  I 
ever  knew,"  answered  Avery. 

"Then  I  forgive  his  rashness.  Nothing  seri- 
ous about  these  scratches,   Doctor  ? ' ' 

"No,  no.  Major!  A  slight  rupture  of  the 
voluntary  muscle,  flexor  carpi  ulnaris;  but  hap- 
pily, the  radius  and  ulna  escaped  fracture.  Cap- 
tain Avery  sustained  little  more  than  a  contusion, 
cut  through  the  epidermis  a  trifle;  but  it  was  a 
close  call  for  the  right  latissimus  dorsi."  The 
Doctor  was  of  the  old  school  and  revelled  in 
Latin. 

"Now  for  a  little  English,  Doctor.  Ai-e 
both  of  them  game?  "  asked  the  Major,  entering 
into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion. 

"To  the  core,  Major.  Never  saw  a  better 
exhibition,  and  this  is  not  my  first  visit  to  the 
Bluff  at  sunrise,"  answered  the  Doctor.  He  had 
been  there  twice  with  the  Major. 


240  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Then  all  else  is  forgiven." 

"I  can  not  equal  your  magnanimity,  Major 
Lewis;  but  I  may  have  done  wrong  in  the  per- 
emptory manner  in  which  I  executed  the  last 
orders  of  the  War  Department.  I  intended  no 
wrong,  surely,   but  I  gave  offense,"  said  Avery. 

"I  don't  believe  you  were  wrong.  Captain; 
1  'm  damned  if  I  do.  My  friends  never  do 
wrong,"  said  the  Major. 

By  this  time  Mr.  Dodge  had  recovered,  and 
was  able  to  sit  upright.  He  rubbed  his  eyes, 
looked  wildly  about,  and  asked:  "  What  is  the 
meaning  of  all  this  ?  Where  am  I  ?  When  did 
you  get  in.  Major  ?  Did  I  have  a  spell  ?  Yes, 
yes,  one  of  those  old  spells  again!  Before  I  went 
up  North  for  my  health,  I  had  several  of  them. 
This  is  the  worst  climate  on  earth;  I  must  leave 
it,  or  die  of  biliousness." 

"Try  a  little  more  brandy,  Mr.  Dodge,"  said 
the  Doctor. 

"  Yes,  yes,  a  little  brandy  is  good  for  these 
spells.  It  was  a  glorious  tilt.  Major;  you  ought  to 
have  come  earlier.  Great  event;  historical,  sure! 
Avery  and  Lewis,  principals;  Dodge  and  Grayson, 
seconds  ;  Anderson,  M.  D.,  surgeon.  It  's  well 
this  spell  did  n  t  take  me  earlier;  'twould  have 
spoiled  history.  I  'm  all  right  now;  yes,  siree, 
all  right  now  !  " 

According  to  arrangements  made  before  the 
event,  Howard  and  Manning  went  from  the  Bluff 
to  the  Plain  of  Tempe,  for  a  few  days'  fishing. 
Should  there  be  any  legal  consequences,  this 
seclusion  placed  them  where  they  could  meet  or 
escape  them,  as  occasion  might  dictate.      Pleas, 


Sunrise  and  Pistols  241 

who  was  the  only  person  in  the  world,  except 
those  actually  present,  that  knew  of  the  duel,  had 
been  charged  with  the  double  duty  of  watching 
for  danger  and  of  communicating  information  to 
the  young  gentlemen. 

Avery  rode  back  to  camp,  called  at  the  tent  of 
the  lieutenant,  recovered  and  destroyed  his  resig- 
nation. His  mind  had  changed.  For  some  few 
days  he  complained  of  indisposition,  had  an 
occasional  visit  from  Doctor  Anderson,  and 
lounged  about  his  tent.  He  could  not  ride  on 
horseback,  for  while  his  wound  was  slight,  the 
motion  of  the  exercise  produced  great  pain. 


XX 

Genius  Is  Recognized 

THE  21st  day  of  July,  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-five,  was  a  proud  day  for  the  State  Gov- 
ernment in  Tennessee.  For  three  years  it  had  led 
a  most  precarious  and  contradictory  existence.  In 
effect,  it  had  maintained  a  bold  and  aggressive 
front,  the  terror  of  crippled  and  aged  men,  of 
women  and  children  whose  protectors  were  in  the 
Confederate  army  —  of  all  helpless  and  defense- 
less persons.  In  fact,  a  more  servile,  fawning, 
favor-seeking  combination  of  knaves  never  was 
made  to  do  unholy  traffic  in  political  spoils  and 
tawdry  honors.  While,  at  home,  it  levied  unwar- 
ranted taxes,  evicted  women  and  children  from 
ancestral  homes  for  the  non-payment  of  these 
impossible  burdens,  threatened,  browbeat,  and 
even  incarcerated  honorable  citizens  for  imaginary 
and  made-up  offense,  intimidated  and  terrorized 
as  a  profession,  it  crawled  and  cringed  before 
Congress  and  the  Executive  of  the  Nation.  What 
it  wanted  was  recognition;  and  to  secure  recogni- 
tion it  pleaded  its  odious  record  of  three  years  of 
anarchy,  and  pledged  itself  to  execute  as  much 
more  and  as  detestable  infamy  as  should  meet  the 
requirements  of  political  necessity  in  Tennessee. 
And  through  all  these  four  gloomy  years  of 
civil  war,  with  their  changing  fortunes  of  success 
and  disaster,  the  National  Government  had 
grasped  at  every  straw  that  promised  support.     It 

242 


Genius  Is  Recognized  24-3 

had  made  use  of  a  thousand  "scape-goats;"  it 
needed  now,  a  thousand  each  day.  Yet,  strange 
to  relate,  the  National  party  had  passed  the  ' '  Ten 
Per  Cent  Government"  of  Tennessee,  for  all  its 
promises  of  loyalty,  claim  to  power  and  desire  to 
play  the  ' '  scape-goat, ' '  without  one  poor  look  of 
recognition. 

The  reason  for  all  this  cold-hearted  treatment 
can  be  found  only  in  the  infamous  record  of  the 
State  Government.  It  was  too  foul  for  the  tainted 
atmosphere  of  Washington!  Besides,  at  the  head 
of  National  aflfairs  had  been  an  honest  man,  who 
fought  the  encroachments  of  political  filth  with 
more  energy  than  he  fought  the  open  foe  on  the 
battlefield. 

But  now  Lincoln,  the  honorable  man,  the 
patriot,  was  dead;  the  horde  of  place-hunters 
were  all  alive.  It  is  one  of  the  absurdities  of 
Fate,  that  history  has  never  been  called  upon  to 
record  the  time  when  and  the  place  where  one  of 
these  persistent  office-seeking  worthies,  however 
deserving  of  such  an  end,  became  a  target  for  the 
bullet  of  the  maniac  or  the  monster. 

Some  persons  have  been  ungenerous  enough  to 
charge  that  the  radical  faction  of  the  then  domi- 
nant party  was  jealous  of  the  superior  genius  of 
the  "Ten  Per-Centers "  for  the  invention  of 
infamy,  and  their  capacity  for  the  shameless  exe- 
cution of  it;  but  the  great  majority  incline  to  the 
more  magnanimous  view:  that  the  National  party 
chose  to  get  the  benefits  of  all  this  dirty  work 
without  any  direct  accountability  for,  or  associa- 
tion with,  those  who  so  cheerfully  did  it.  With- 
out   further   digression    to    discuss    the    weighty 


244  In  the  Wake  of  War 

problem  of  scoundrelism  in  State  and  National 
politics,  of  how  the  blending,  by  experienced 
hands,  of  the  different  grades  and  shades  of  ras- 
cality tends  to  ultimate  virtue  and  the  good  of  the 
masses,  it  may  be  said  without  fear  of  contradic- 
tion, or  danger  of  inciting  argument,  that  the 
reward  of  genius,  even  the  genius  for  villainy, 
is  recognition. 

So,  after  all  these  years  of  administering  con- 
sternation, and  receiving  disappointment,  the 
tardy  reward  was  at  hand!  On  this  good  day  and 
year  of  grace,  the  genius  that  manipulated  the 
affairs  of  the  State  secured  from  Congress  the 
recognition  for  which  the  ' '  Ten  Per  Cent  Govern- 
ment ' '  had  so  ardently  hoped,  so  cheerfully 
slaved  and  so  zealously  prostituted  itself.  It  was 
a  weakly  thing,  after  all,  this  National  avowal; 
but  it  was,  as  one  of  them  sagely  remarked, 
"  a  start-er."  And  these  statesmen  of  local  fame 
were  more  responsive  to  encouragement  than  to 
rebuffs. 

The  State  Administration  now  thought  itself  on 
a  substantial  footing.  It  was  inferentially  a  part  of 
the  Federal  Compact,  and  the  persons  high  in  its 
organization  set  themselves  to  reduce  bushwhack- 
ing to  a  system.  They  advanced  from  profes- 
sional to  scientific  methods.  To  their  genius  for 
creating  outrageous  laws  and  their  audacity  in 
administering  them,  they  added  systematic  and 
scientific  modes  of  punishment. 

With  the  introduction  of  a  degree  of  account- 
ability to  a  superior  power,  one  would  have 
expected  greater  caution  in  their  operations;  but 
not  so.     There  were  old  reckonings  imsatisfied; 


Genius  Is  Recognized  245 

the  eternal  grudge  that  low  life  bears  to  decency 
was  still  alive  and  rankling.  And  with  the  per- 
sons forming  and  supporting  this  State  Govern- 
ment no  amount  of  revenge  seemed  to  sate  their 
consuming  greed  for  vengeance. 

Accordingly,  old  matters,  many  outlawed,  some 
already  settled  in  the  courts,  were  revived;  new 
ones  were  started  with  wonderful  alacrity.  They 
seemed  to  regard  neither  the  statute  of  limitations, 
nor  the  ancient  law,  Res  adjudicata.  This  was 
especially  true  at  Kosciusko,  where  the  County 
Guards  had  lost  much  valuable  time  through  the 
equitable  interference  of  Captain  Avery. 

One  of  the  first  cases  they  attempted  to  revive 
was  that  against  Howard  Grayson  and  Manning 
Lewis  —  the  charge  of  wearing  Rebel  uniforms. 
But  through  the  influence  of  Anton  Nelson  this 
had  been  dismissed  on  order  of  the  Governor,  and 
the  Guards  stood  in  awe  of  that  dignitary.  The 
ingenious  brain  of  Jonas  Smith  met  the  exigency. 
He  remembered  that  when  the  Guards  were  carry- 
ing off  these  young  gentlemen  for  the  sham  trial 
before  Squire  Witan,  both  had  made  remarks 
uncomplimentary  to  the  State  Administration, 
and  somewhat  questioned  the  democracy  of  a 
government  that  represented  about  ten  per  cent  of 
the  people  over  whom  it  exercised  power.  To 
question  the  acts  of  the  State  Government  was  a 
crime;  to  criticise  it  was  treason  before  the  law. 
Without  delay,  Smith  lodged  complaint  with  his 
honor,  N.  Lex  Witan,  and  a  warrant  was  issued 
for  the  apprehension  of  the  young  men.  But 
neither  Howard  nor  Manning  had  been  seen  for 
three   weeks,    and   Major   Lewis   seemed  utterly 


246  In  the  Wake  of  War 

ignorant  of  the  whereabouts  of  his  son.  Both 
were  known  to  be  away  from  home.  Before  it 
should  be  known  outside  official  circles  that  the 
warrant  was  issued,  the  County  Guards  decided 
to  locate  its  prisoners,  and  charge  down  on  them 
with  force  sufficient  to  effect  their  capture.  And 
now  mark  the  fine  hand  of  the  Reverend  Felix 
Grayson  !  He  suddenly  appeared  at  Elmington 
and  disclosed  a  friendly  mission  to  Miss  Mary  Lou. 

"  But  Howard  is  not  at  home,"  she  said. 

"Then  get  word  to  him  at  once,"  said  Felix. 
"These  fellows  will  put  them  in  jail,  and  Mr. 
Nelson  is  not  here  to  sign  the  bail-bond.  Perhaps 
they  will  not  admit  the  boys  to  bond  !  Can't  tell 
what  they  will  do!  I  would  sign  a  bond  for  them, 
only  as  a  Federal  officer  I  am  not  permitted  to  do 
so.  You  see  these  fellows  now  have  nominal 
backing  from  the  National  Government,  and 
there  is  no  telling  what  they  will  do.  The  boys 
must  know  of  this  and  then  make  a  visit  into 
another  State. ' ' 

"They  will  not  run.  You  know  them  too  well 
for  that;  but  they  ought  to  know,"  she  said, 
thoughtfully. 

"They  must  know.  I  would  go,  only  it  never 
woukl  do  for  me  to  mix  with  these  State  affairs. 
They  will  watch  me,  and  perhaps  I  shall  have  to 
answer  for  this  visit.  They  already  suspect  me 
of  favoring  brother  Rodeny;  but  I  can't  help  my 
interest  in  him,  and  you." 

"You  are  very  kind,  and  I  am  sure  father  ap- 
preciates your  efforts.  But  Pleas  has  no  suitable 
horse, ' '  said  Mary  Lou. 

"  Get  Captain  Avery's  horse.     He  will  gladly 


Genius  Is  Recognized  247 


lend  it  to  you.  I  will  carry  a  note  to  him.  He 
is  not  riding  now,  for  some  reason,  as  you  know." 

"But  would  I  not  compromise  Captain  Avery 
by  having  his  horse  used  for  such  a  purpose?" 
she  asked,  with  some  disappointment. 

"Not  at  all.  Who  is  to  know  where  the  horse 
goes  ?  You  have  not  told  me  where  Howard  is. 
Write  your  note,  quickly,"  he  persisted. 

But  Mary  Lou  was  not  to  be  hurried.  She  took 
her  time  to  consider  the  matter  carefully,  and  then 
wrote  this  note  :  — 

*'  Dear  Captain  Avery: 

I  must  have  a  good  horse  for  this  afternoon  and 
evening.  Will  you  kindly  lend  me  Pomp?  You  can 
not  know  the  necessity  that  prompts  this  request. 
Rev.  Mr.  Grayson,  who  consents  to  carry  this  note, 
has  assured  me  that  I  am  right  in  asking.  He  knows 
the  circumstances. 

Sincerely, 

Mary  Lou  Grayson. 

P.  S.     Please  send  side-saddle  by  Pleas." 

Then  the  Reverend  Felix  took  Pleas  in  his 
carriage  and  drove  him  to  camp.  Pleas  delivered 
the  note  into  the  hand  of  the  Captain,  who  read  it 
and  said:  "  Her  wishes  don't  have  to  be  vouched 
for  by  that  preacher.  Does  she  want  two  saddles. 
Pleas?" 

' '  I  doan  know,  suh. ' ' 

"Well,  take  both,  to  be  safe.  Eide  mine  and 
carry  Miss  Bosworth's;  and  get  started  pretty 
quickly, ' '    said    Avery. 

While  Pleas  was  after  the  Captain's  horse, 
Mary  Lou  went  over  to  Saunders'  Lodge  and 
borrowed  the  best  and  fastest  horse  Mr.  Dodge 
had  in  his  stable.     She  wanted  it  for  Pleas,  she 


248  In  the  Wake  of  War 


said.  When  Uncle  Sam  led  Dodge's  horse,  a 
large,  strong  black,  almost  worthy  of  all  his 
master's  praise,  into  the  yard  at  Elmington,  Pleas 
had  arrived  with  Pomp  and  the  two  saddles. 

"Change  the  saddles  quickly,  Pleas;  you  and  I 
are  going  for  a  long  ride.  Better  get  a  snack  to 
eat;  we  shall  not  stop  until  after  night." 

Pleas' 8  astonishment  lasted  but  a  second.  He 
broke  into  a  broad  grin. 

"I  gets  a  snack,  Miss  Mary  Lou.  I  gets  de 
snack  de  League  gives  me."  And  he  chuckled 
audibly.  In  a  moment  he  returned,  and  patting 
his  bulging  pocket,  in  which  was  the  revolver 
given  him  by  the  Union  League,  said:  "Dare's 
snack  'nuf  fo'  dis  ride.  Miss  Mary  Lou." 

Uncle  Sam  waited  on  the  front  porch  with  a 
note  for  Colonel  Grayson,  and  Mary  Lou,  with 
her  faithful  servant,  rode  off.  As  they  went  out 
of  the  park  into  the  turnpike,  neither  Mary  Lou 
nor  her  black  protector  saw  two  figures  in  old 
Federal  uniforms  hidden  in  a  clump  of  trees  that 
commanded  a  view  of  the  road.  Those  two 
horsemen,  sneaking  in  the  brush,  represented  the 
State  Government  of  Tennessee.  After  Mary 
Lou  and  Pleas  had  gone  over  the  first  hill  to  the 
north,  the  horsemen  came  from  hiding.  One  rode 
south  as  swiftly  as  his  horse  could  carry  him,  as 
if  to  give  an  alarm;  the  other  rode  north  and  took 
up  the  trail  of  the  two  horses  that  had  left 
Elmington. 


XXI 

Which  Treats  of  Meeting  and  Parting 

THE  usual  route  from  Elmington  to  the  Plain 
of  Tempe  lay  tlirough  Kosciusko;  but,  on  the 
suggestion  of  Pleas,  Mary  Lou  took  a  longer 
course,  which  led  off  to  the  north  for  a  mile  and 
then  to  the  south-west.  Both  roads  met  at  the 
foot-hills,  and  there  entered  the  main  thoroughfare 
of  that  section,  the  old  Military  Koad,  laid  out  by 
General  Jackson  after  the  close  of  the  war  of 
1812.  In  the  opinion  of  Pleas,  there  was  to  be 
a  race  with  Jonas  Smith  and  posse,  to  see  who 
first  should  reach  this  junction,  and  who  first 
should  enter  the  Military  Road.  He  was  satisfied 
that  Felix  Grayson,  for  all  his  claims  of  friend- 
ship, would  report  to  the  officers  his  conversation 
of  the  morning,  together  with  his  inference  that 
the  young  gentlemen  were  at  the  Plain.  But  the 
negro  was  too  considerate  to  alarm  his  young 
mistress  with  this  suspicion. 

Pleas  knew  that  his  young  master  and  Mannmg 
Lewis  were  expected  to  return  that  very  night, 
and  unless  intercepted  at  the  junction,  they  would 
in  all  probability  come  by  the  shorter  route. 
This  he  gave  to  Mary  Lou  as  a  reasonable  excuse 
for  making  all  possible  haste  until  they  should 
reach  the  foot-hills. 

It  was  a  beautiful  afternoon  in  the  full  summer. 
The  sun  blazed  down  with  the  withering  splendor 
of  the  hottest  hour  of  a  mid-summer  day.     The 

249 


250  In  the  Wake  of  War 

dusty  highway  was  deserted.  The  whites  were 
at  home  with  their  work  of  rebuilding,  the  blacks 
were  lounging  about  the  Freedraen's  Bureau. 

Mary  Lou  led  off  at  a  smart  canter.  The  Cap- 
tain's horse  was  full  of  spirit  from  near  a  month 
of  idleness.  But  before  they  had  gone  far  at  this 
pace,  Pleas  called  out:  "Isn't  yo'  ridin'  toll- 
able peart,  Miss  Mary  Lou?  " 

"Our  time  is  short,  Pleas;  we  must  reach  our 
destination  before  dark,   if  possible." 

"If  yo'  goin'  to  de  Plain,  min'  yo'  starts  asy. 
Pleas  gits  yo'  dar,  chile.  Go  asy  to  de  ole  Brick 
Stan';  dar  we  lets  de  bosses  drink  a  swaller  of 
water,  an'  den  we  rides.  Yo'  hears  old  Pleas, 
Miss  Mary  Lou!  " 

And  she  listened  to  his  advice,  for  the  two 
miles  to  the  old  brick  tavern  were  covered  at  an 
easy  gait.  Here  he  gave  each  horse  little  more 
than  a  swallow  of    water,  and   they  pushed  on. 

For  the  next  few  miles  Pleas  kept  admonishing, 
"asy,"  "asy;"  not  until  the  evening  sun  began 
to  throw  shadows  across  the  pike  did  he  cease  to 
caution  Mary  Lou  against  the  killing  pace  her 
impatience  prompted  her  to  set. 

The  Military  Road  was  now  not  more  than 
three  miles  distant;  the  sun  was  yet  half  an  hour 
above  the  horizon;  and,  half-a-mile  ahead,  just 
round  a  turn  in  the  pike,  stood  an  old  wayside 
inn. 

"Let  out'n  de  Yankee  boss,  Miss  Mary  Lou; 
we  water  at  de  ole  stan',"  he  said.  And  they 
made  that  half-a-mile  as  if  riding  for  a  record. 
After  the  horses  had  been  given  their  small  allow- 
ance of  drink,  Pleas  said:   "  Dat  hoss  too  sma't 


Which  Treats  of  Meeting  and  Parting       251 

fo'  a  Yankee.  Mars  Howard  ought  t'hev  him." 
Then  putting  his  hand  into  his  pocket  he  contin- 
ued, quickly:  ""'Scuse  me  a  minute,  Miss  Mary 
Lou;  I  drap  some  leetle  tricks  outn  my  snack." 
And  he  ran  back  to  the  turn  in  the  road,  to  all 
appearances    looking   for  something  in  the  dust. 

But  while  he  seemed  intent  on  the  ground,  his 
eye  took  in  the  long  stretch  of  turnpike  over 
which  they  had  just  ridden.  As  he  came  in  full 
view  of  this  he  saw,  half-a-mile  back,  a  batch  of 
horsemen,  riding  at  full  speed.  His  form  was 
bent,  and  he  appeared  to  be  looking  in  the  dust. 
They  turned  into  an  old  field  grov/n  to  sassafras 
bushes,  high  enough  to  hide  horse  and  man.  He 
counted;  there  were  seven. 

"  Yo'  hides,  ole  Jonas  Smith,  if  yo'  wants  to. 
We-all  ken  hide,  too,"  he  muttered  to  himself, 
still  hunting  about  in  the  dusty  pike. 

They  thought  they  were  not  seen,  but  they  little 
knew  the  subtlety  of  that  honest  negro. 

Pleas  returned  leisurely  to  where  his  young 
mistress  awaited  him,  mounted  his  horse,  and 
took  his  place  a  length  behind  her:  "  Asy  to  de 
nex'  tu'n.  Miss  Mary  Lou,"  were  his  orders. 
They  were  obeyed  with  perfect  confidence.  It 
was  a  straight,  level  stretch,  down  a  narrow  val- 
ley, every  foot  of  the  road  visible  from  the  turn 
they  had  just  now  passed.  The  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun  shot  clean  over,  and  left  them  in  the 
shadow  of  a  great  ridge.  The  air  was  fresh  and 
cool  with  the  crispness  of  drought.  The  wood, 
which  came  down  to  the  wayside,  gave  forth  its 
evening  fragrance.  The  chirp  of  the  katydid,  the 
vespers  of  a  belated  song-bird,  and  the  hoof-beats 


252  In  the  Wake  of  War 


of  their  horses,  were  the  only  sounds.  Not  a 
human  being  was  in  sight;  yet  this  delicate  girl 
rode  confidently  on,  at  a  walk,  a  trot,  or  a  gallop, 
as  Pleas  advised.  She  never  once  looked  back. 
Such  exhibitions  of  perfect  confidence  have  not 
been  seen  since  the  old-time  negro  passed  out 
of  life,  into  history. 

At  the  turn  in  the  road  Pleas  stole  a  glance 
over  his  shoulder  and  almost  shouted,  "Faster." 
Pomp  responded  to  a  looser  rein  and  set  the  pace 
at  a  keen  canter.  For  two  miles  they  rode  a 
rattling  gait  through  the  undulating,  winding 
course,  as  the  pike  turned  in  and  out  around  the 
base  of  the  hills.  Pleas's  watchful  eye  was  on 
the  road,  and  his  admonitions,  "asy, "  "faster," 
"keerful,  chile,"  came  with  almost  every  breath. 
The  ride  was  desperate.  Mary  Lou  did  not  realize 
that  it  had  every  element  of  a  crisis,  so  intent  was 
her  purpose  to  reach  the  Plain.  The  horses,  so 
carefully  warmed  under  Pleas's  direction,  took  the 
pace  from  brute  sympathy.  No  whip  was  drawn ; 
no  word  of  encouragement  was  spoken.  On,  on 
they  flew,  until  they  reached  the  summit  of  a 
ridge,  beyond  which  the  two  pikes  joined. 

To  their  left  was  a  high,  round  hill,  that  stood 
between  the  two  turnpikes,  and  rose  a  hundred 
feet  above  them.  Straight  ahead,  to  the  south- 
west, across  several  intervening  valleys  and  low 
hills,  stood  out  the  main  dividing  ridge  that  sepa- 
rated the  waters  of  the  Opal  from  those  of  the 
Swan  River.  Where  the  old  Military  Road 
crossed  this  divide,  the  timber  had  long  ago  been 
cut  off,  marking  the  location  for  one  of  those  old 
taverns,  or  "stands,"  as  they  were  called  half  a 


Which  Treats  of  Meeting  and  Parting        253 

century  ago,  with  its  truck-garden  and  pasture 
fields.  This  bleak  old  head  now  showed  a  clean, 
bald  outline  against  the  blazing  gold  of  the  sun- 
set sky.  And,  as  they  scanned  the  streak  of  yel- 
low clay  that  marked  the  road  as  it  wound  through 
the  forest  on  the  ridge-side  until  it  was  lost  on 
the  barren  summit,  two  horsemen  came  into  view, 
silhouetted  against  the  burning  background.  Mary 
Lou  gave  a  cry  of  delight,  and  waved  her  hand- 
kerchief. 

"Mars  Howard  and  Mister  Mannin',"  shouted 
Pleas.  "Straight  fo'd,"  he  continued,  quickly. 
"I  rides  roun'  de  hill  to  urr  pike."  And  he 
swung  his  horse  into  a  cow-path  that  connected 
the  two  roads,  Mary  Lou  dashed  on  at  the  top 
of  Pomp's  speed,  to  reach  her  brother  and  friend. 
She  caught  not  another  glimpse  of  them,  for  the 
road  wound  out  and  in,  up  and  down,  through  the 
dense  forest,  already  coming  dark.  At  the  base 
of  the  ridge  she  met  them. 

Pleas  followed  the  path  through  the  under- 
brush, and  came  to  the  Kosciusko  road.  He  ex- 
amined closely  the  dust,  and  saw  that  no  horsemen 
had  gone  west  during  the  evening.  He  then 
knew  that  the  only  expedition  sent  after  the  young 
gentlemen  had  followed  him  and  Miss  Mary  Lou, 
and  this  posse  they  had  left  a  mile  behind  by  his 
ruse  at  the  old  tavern.  Then  riding  into  a  dense 
tangle  of  bushes  he  threw  off  the  saddle  and  tied 
his  horse  to  a  swinging  limb. 

"  Naow  res'  yo'se'f.  Mister  Dodge,"  he 
muttered,  as  he  hurried  down  to  where  the  two 
roads  joined  and  entered  the  old  thoroughfare. 
This  point  was  well  down  the  ridge,  in  a  sharp 


254  In  the  Wake  of  War 

valley,  the  sides  of  which  were  covered  with  trees 
and  undergrowth.  He  hid  in  the  brush  to  await 
the  enemy. 

The  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  warned  him  that  the 
officers  were  approaching.  He  had  no  time  to 
reconsider  his  plan.  He  only  could  think  that  his 
young  master  was  less  than  half-a-mile  away,  that 
he  could  not  now  escape,  and  that  humiliation, 
and  perhaps  insult,  awaited  his  young  mistress. 
He  drew  from  his  pocket  the  old  revolver,  and 
examined  it  carefully.  It  looked  like  an  old  and 
tried  friend,  although  he  never  had  shot  it. 

Miss  Mary  Lou  quickly  told  her  errand. 

"And  did  you  come  alone,  Little  Sister?" 
asked   Howard. 

"  No,  Pleas  stopped  back  at  the  forks  to  look 
for  something  or  somebody,"  she  answered. 

"Well,  Manning,  shall  we  go  home  and  face 
the  music  ?  ' ' 

"Surely!  The  bravery  of  Miss  Mary  Lou 
ought  to  give  us  courage  to  face  the  Devil,  or  all 
the  devils  in  Kosciusko.  I  always  knew  this  of 
Miss  Mary  Lou,"  answered  Manning. 

"Courage!  She's  the  sweetest  and  bravest 
little  sister  in  all  the  world,"  and  Howard  kissed 
again  the  white  forehead  and  pressed  her  to  his 
bosom.  "  Not  another  like  her,  Manning;  God 
bless  her." 

"  Hush,  Howard,  and  talk  about  safety.  You- 
all  must  go  away.  Think  of  the  disadvantage 
—  think  of  their  power  and  spite!  They  bear  us 
a  terrible  grudge,  and  Uncle  Felix  says  they  have 
more  power,  now.  Go  to  our  uncle's  in  Arkansas 
until  father  has  time  to  fix  this  up." 


Which  Treats  of  Meeting  and  Parting         255 

"No,  Little  Sister,  not  while  you  set  us  such 
an  example,"  said  Howard. 

"Do  hush  about  example;  turn  around  right 
now  and  go ' ' 

But  she  did  not  finish  the  remonstrance;  at  that 
instant  the  sharp,  loud  report  of  a  pistol  rang  out 
from  down  the  road,  followed  quickly  by  a  second, 
louder  than  the  first;  then  unearthly  yells,  and  a 
dozen  shots  —  almost  like  a  volley. 

"Pleas!  "  gasped  all  in  unison. 

"Yes,  it's  Pleas.  Go  to  him,  Howard.  Go 
Manning,  I  can  mount  alone,"  cried  Mary  Lou. 

And  the  two  young  men  were  off  in  a  trice, 
drawing  from  holsters  the  long  duelling  pistols 
that  belonged  in  Major  Lewis's  mahogany  case. 
Mary  Lou  followed  closely,  in  spite  of  the  appeals 
of  Howard. 

"Poor  old  Pleas!  Faster,  Howard,  faster," 
she  kept  calling,  forgetting,  in  her  impatience, 
that  Howard's  horse  was  a  war  relic. 

When  they  reached  the  forks  of  the  road,  there 
stood  Pleas  in  the  twilight,  grinning  over  the  body 
of  a  man  in  the  dust.  Two  horses  were  in  the 
throes  of  death. 

"Jonas    Smith!"    cried  Manning. 

"  Yas,  Jonas  Smith,"  echoed  Pleas,  laconically. 
"I  tole  yo',  Jonas  Smith,  yo'  git  hu't,  yo'  keep 
pesterin'  we-all.  He  hu't  mighty  bad.  Mars 
Howard."  And  Pleas  turned  the  prostrate  form 
over  on  its  back. 

"  You 've  killed  him.  Pleas!"  cried  Manning, 
as  he  felt  for  the  pulse  of  the  wounded  man. 

"  Naw,  I  isn't  kilt  him,"  said  Pleas,  promptly. 
"I  shot  his  boss;  I  nerr  kilt  him." 


256  In  the  Wake  of  War 


"  How  did  it  happen,  boy  !  "  asked  Howard. 

*'Dey  ridin'  down  on  yo'-all,  an'  I  knowed  dey 
'rest  yo',  an'  mebbe  insult  Miss  Mary  Lou. 
Dey  won'  now;  Jonas  Smith  kilt,  de  res'  runned 
'way.  I  shot  de  bosses,  Mars  Howard,  not  Jonas 
Smith.  I  'd  kilt  err  boss  dey  rid  'fo'  dey  'rest  yo', 
Mars  Howard." 

"Who  shot  him,  then?"  asked  Howard,  im- 
patiently. 

"  I  doan  know.  Mars  Howard;  Pleas  did  n't," 
he  answered,  hurt  that  his  word  should  be  ques- 
tioned, even  in  the  face  of  such  convicting  cir- 
cumstances. 

"  Pleas  shall  go  with  you,  Howard.  I  can  ride 
home  alone,"  said  Mary  Lou. 

"Never!"  cried  Howard,  quickly.  "Pleas 
must  go;  Manning  and  I  will  go  home  with  you." 

' '  Whar  Pleas  go  at  ?  "  asked  the  negro. 

"You  must  go  to  some  place  of  safety  until 
this  is  cleared  up.  They  would  hang  you  on 
sight." 

"  But  these  officers  of  the  law  are  the  friends  of 
the  negro!  "  said  Manning,  with  a  touch  of  sar- 
casm. 

"Yes,  we  know  all  about  that,"  answered 
Howard.  "  We  will  take  no  chances  with  their 
friendship."  Then  turning  to  Pleas,  he  contin- 
ued: "Pleas,  you  must  ride  for  your  life.  Go  to 
our  people  in  Arkansas;  you  know  the  way.  Stay 
there  until  you  hear  from  us.  Have  you  any 
money,  Manning?" 

"  Not  very  much,  but  Pleas  shall  have  every 
cent  there  is  in  the  party." 

"  I  doan  wan'  to  go!  "  persisted  Pleas.    "Doan 


Which  Treats  of  Meeting  and  Parting         257 

make  me  go,  please,  Mars  Howard.  Yo'  an' 
Mister  Mannin'  go,  an'  lemme  carry  Miss  Mary 
Lou  home.  Pleas  carry  de  chile  home  so 
keerf  ul ! ' ' 

"No,  Pleas,  you  would  be  hanged,"  said 
Howard. 

"I  doan  keer;  lemme  go  home,  an'  yo'  an' 
Mister  Mannin'  run  'way." 

"No,  Pleas,"  said  Howard,  firmly. 

"Pleas  ain'  no  murder';  he  doan  hev  no  call 
to  run  'way."  And  the  negro  went  down  on  his 
knees,  begging  and  crying  like  a  child. 

There  were  others  in  the  little  party  who  wept; 
and  when  Howard  had  raised  the  black  man  to 
his  feet,  and  had  embraced  him  many  times,  he 
could  speak  but  one  word:   "Go!" 


iT 


XXII 

In  Which  History  Is  Made 

THE  procession  that  moved  from  the  forks  of 
the  road  a  few  minutes  after  Pleas  had  disap- 
peared in  the  darkness  was  not  a  cheerful  nor 
a  hopeful  one.  They  knew  not  to  what  they 
were  returning.  The  least  they  could  expect  was 
a  cell  in  the  dingy  old  jail;  perhaps  it  was  to 
meet  a  mob. 

At  first  they  had  reckoned  that  their  presence 
near  the  scene  of  the  ambuscade  would  not  be 
known,  that  Pleas  alone  would  be  charged  with 
the  crime.  This  was  Howard's  motive  for  ban- 
ishing the  negro.  But  on  further  consideration, 
they  decided  that  they  would  have  to  answer  for 
the  killing. 

As  they  started,  Mary  Lou  asked:  "  What  shall 
you  do  with  the  body  ?  " 

' '  It  seems  to  be  resting  very  comfortably 
where  it  is,"  answered  Howard. 

"  Can  not  you  carry  it  to  Kosciusko?  It  seems 
brutal  to  leave  the  body  of  any  human  being  in 
the  dust  like  that." 

"We've  seen  the  bodies  of  more  than  ten 
thousand  brave  men  left  on  one  field.  No,  Little 
Sister,  we  can't  bother  with  that  scoundrel.  We 
must  get  you  home." 

Twilight  had  deepened  into  darkness;  the  heav- 
ens had  turned  from  gray  to  night-blue;  and,  far 
away  through  the  dusk  of  the  low-hanging  vault, 

258 


In  Which  History  Is  Made  259 

the  evening  star  bad  flashed  its  light.  In  the 
forest  there  was  a  perfect  hush,  which,  after  the 
bustle  and  pipe  of  its  countless  day-sounds, 
seemed  oppressive.  The  darkness,  the  quiet  of 
the  wood,  the  reaction  from  her  wild  ride  with  its 
unexpected  and  tragic  end,  made  a  serious  assault 
on  the  impressionable  nature  of  Mary  Lou.  She 
rode  in  moody  silence.  Manning  tried  to  throw 
oS  the  spell  by  asking  after  the  events  of  the 
afternoon,  but  she  answered  not  a  word.  He 
then  became  thoughtful  and  speechless.  Howard 
was  calculating  the  probabilities  of  carrying  his 
sister  home  without  interruption,  and  was  serious 
and  mute.  The  desolate  hoot  of  the  owl,  the 
threatening  shriek  of  the  night-hawk,  and  the 
plaintive  whistle  of  the  whippoorwill,  alone 
broke  the  stillness. 

When  Howard  was  preparing  to  mount  for 
this  dreary  ride,  he  stumbled  over  some  object  in 
the  road,  which  on  examination  proved  to  be  an 
old  army  musket.  He  struck  a  match;  it  had 
been  discharged.  Something  impelled  him  to 
carry  it. 

Near  midnight,  as  they  approached  Kosciusko, 
they  saw  a  great  hubbub  ahead  —  more  than 
a  dozen  horsemen  with  lanterns.  They  thought 
the  hour  of  reckoning  had  come;  but  the  whole 
party  turned  into  a  narrow  dirt  road  that  made 
a  short  cut  from  the  Kosciusko  pike  to  the  one 
over  which  Mary  Lou  and  Pleas  had  travelled  diu*- 
ing  the  afternoon.  Evidently  it  was  a  rescuing 
party,  sent  out  to  meet  and  slaughter  the  ambus- 
cade. 

Howard  watched  the  bobbing  lights  until  the 


260  In  the  Wake  of  War 

last  had  gone,  and  calling  to  Manning,  said: 
"We  shall  get  into  Kosciusko  unmolested."  He 
thought,  furthermore,  that  with  good  luck  to 
favor,  thej  might  carry  Mary  Lou  home  before 
thej  should  be  taken  into  custody.  And  this  was 
their  fortune;  for  when  they  reached  the  city,  its 
streets  were  deserted,  and  they  rode  to  Elmington 
as  fast  as  their  horses  could  go.  Several  prob- 
lems now  confronted  them,  and  Manning  went  on 
home  to  bring  Major  Lewis  to  an  early  consul- 
tation. 

Not  the  easiest  matter  to  dispose  of  was  Captain 
Avery's  horse  —  how  it  could  be  returned  without 
advertising  to  the  local  authorities  that  it  had 
been  ridden  by  Miss  Mary  Lou,  and  that,  in  all 
probability,  it  was  at  or  near  the  scene  of  the 
ambush.  This  had  been  the  source  of  great  anxi- 
ety to  her,  and  rose  in  her  thoughts  and  speech 
above  the  danger  to  which  her  brother  and  friend 
were  exposed.  For  she  had  not  then  consid- 
ered the  unhappy  chain  of  circumstances  that 
bound  them;  nor  did  she  know  the  weak  links  in 
that  chain,  that,  with  a  fair  hearing,  might  clear 
them  of  all  suspicion.  She  only  knew  that  in  a 
moment  of  pressure  she  had  been  induced  to  ask 
a  friendly  favor  of  the  Captain,  and  that  by  an 
unfortunate  turn  in  affairs  her  act  might  now 
compromise  his  official  integrity. 

This  constituted  the  main  topic  at  the  early 
morning  council  at  Elmington,  and  as  time 
pressed,  it  was  decided  that  Colonel  Grayson 
should  ride  Pomp  back  to  caniip  and  deliver  him 
up  as  quietly  as  possible  to  Captain  Avery.  All 
knew  that  excitement  would  run  high  in  Kosci- 


In  Which  History  Is  Made  261 

usko;  that  there  was  great  danger  to  Manning 
and  Howard  from  mob  violence,  unless  time  could 
be  gained  in  which  the  unreasonable  tales  that 
were  certain  to  be  told  by  the  survivors  of  the 
ambush,  could  be  discredited.  No  one  suggested 
flight.  They  should  stay  quietly  at  Elmington, 
await  the  course  of  events,  and  meet  difficulties  as 
they  presented  themselves. 

Colonel  Grayson  only  delayed  starting  with  the 
horse  to  hear  again  the  story  of  the  night' s  adven- 
ture—  this  time  from  Manning.  He  wanted  to 
be  well  fortified  with  facts  before  meeting  the 
officers. 

When  he  arrived  in  Kosciusko,  there  was  great 
commotion  in  the  streets.  Groups  of  negroes  were 
talking  on  every  corner;  members  of  the  County 
Guards  were  riding  madly  about,  large  with  au- 
thority, but  small  with  knowledge  of  what  to  do; 
the  troops  were  in  line  awaiting  orders.  In  the 
confusion  none  seemed  to  notice  him,  and  he  rode 
into  camp,  where  Avery  sat  equipped  for  action, 
as  if  expecting  a  call  to  preserve  the  peace. 

"I  wish  you  good-morning.  Captain  Avery. 
Allow  me  to  return  your  horse  with  my  sincerest 
gratitude  for  your  kindness  in  lending  him.  I 
fear  it  may  prove  mistaken  kindness,  but  we 
appreciate  the  act,  nevertheless.  When  my  daugh- 
ter asked  the  unusual  favor,  she  could  not  antici- 
pate the  horrible  combination  of  circumstances 
that  has  overwhelmed  us.  As  it  was,  she  had 
some  apprehensions  —  she  is  afraid  to  do  any- 
thing in  these  times  of  conspiracies  and  intrigues 
—  and  would  not  have  made  the  request  if  she 
had   consulted   me.      She  is   prostrated   with  the 


262  In  the  Wake  of  War 

fear  that  her  act,  innocent  as  it  was  in  purpose, 
may  bring  you  into  official  censure." 

"Tell  her  to  have  no  fear  for  me,"  Avery 
answered,  with  perfect  unconcern,  "  Take  Pomp 
and  ride  to  her  at  once  and  make  her  easy  on  my 
account.  She  shielded  me  fully  in  her  note  asking 
for  the  horse  —  your  brother  told  her  to  do  it." 

"So  she  told  me,  although  I  do  not  plead  that 
in  her  behalf,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

"But  I  do.  And  more,  I  hunted  him  out 
early  this  morning,  with  a  witness,  and  he  did  not 
dare  to  deny  it.  He  is  silenced.  He  did  what 
he  did  on  request  of  County  officers.  It  was 
a  part  of  a  well-planned  conspiracy,  although  the 
original  scheme  failed  in  the  execution.  Tliey 
were  after  my  official  scalp;  that  was  a  part  of  the 
scheme.  But  affairs  have  so  changed  in  one  night 
that  they  are  all  scampering  to  save  themselves. 
They  undertook  too  much  for  one  time.  They 
ought  to  have  left  me  out  of  their  plans;  that 
made  their  schemes  top-heavy.  If  only  the 
young  men  had  not  shot  Jonas  Smith,  then  there 
would  have  been  no  trouble." 

"But  they  did  not  tire  a  shot;  Howard,  Man- 
ning and  my  daughter  all  declare  it,"  answered  the 
Colonel.  "They  heard  the  shots  and  came  along 
to  find  Jonas  Smith  dead,  and  two  horses  dying 
in  the  road." 

"They  did  not  ambush  Smith's  posse?  Well, 
1  swear!"  exclaimed  Avery.  "Another  wheel 
within  a  wheel.  These  fellows  will  kill  one 
another  all  off,  yet.  I  wish  I  had  known  that 
sooner.  But  your  son  and  Lewis  will  have  to 
answer  the  chai'ge." 


In  Which  History  Is  Made  263 

"I  expect  nothing  else,  and  can  only  ask  for 
a  fair  hearing." 

"Too  much,  I  fear,  when  there  are  so  many 
fellows  trying  to  save  themselves.  But  I  will  see 
that  they  don't  organize  and  carry  out  a  mob. 
They  will  attempt  anything  now  that  will  keep  the 
public  mind  occupied  until  they  patch  up  their 
own  blunders  and  cussedness." 

' '  I  thought  there  ought  to  be  an  autopsy  on 
Smith's  body  —  to  see  how  and  where  he  was 
shot,"  suggested  Colonel  Grayson. 

"A  good  idea;  I'll  attend  to  it.  Did  the 
young  gentlemen  note  anything  peculiar  about  the 
shooting  ?  ' ' 

"They  said  the  first  shot  sounded  like  a  pistol; 
the  second  louder,  like  a  musket,  and  then  came 
almost  a  volley.  Howard  picked  up  an  old  mus- 
ket in  the  road;  it  had  been  discharged." 

"Where  is  that  musket?" 

"  Howard  has  it." 

"Tell  him  to  keep  it.  Zach  Brassley  carried 
one  as  they  left  here  yesterday  afternoon  —  I  saw 
him,"  said  Avery,  with  new  confidence.  "  There 
is  a  whole  lot  to  this  business  that  we  don't  know. 
Please  say  to  Miss  Grayson  that  she  did  perfectly 
right  to  borrow  Pomp;  that  I  shall  not  be  called 
to  any  account  for  lending  him;  that  I  'm  glad  she 
had  him  —  glad  for  my  own  sake.  I  hope  she 
stood  the  strain  of  last  night's  adventure,  like  the 
heroine  she  is." 

"  She  went  through  the  night  well,  but  is  badly 
shaken  up  by  the  reaction,"  answered  Colonel 
Grayson,  as  he  started  for  home. 

No    sooner    was  Colonel  Grayson   gone  than 


264  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Avery  set  out  to  find  Zack  Brassley,  who  now 
was  in  command  of  the  County  Guards,  He  was 
chasing  about  lustily,  stirring  up  commotion 
rather  than   seeking  to  restore  quiet. 

"Just  one  moment,  Brassley,"  said  the  Cap- 
tain. "There  seems  to  be  a  good  deal  of  excite- 
ment in  town  to-day,  and  perhaps  not  entirely 
without  cause." 

"Wall,  I  should  say!  The  Rebels  air  'bout 
t'take  the  country,  ef  I  doan  stop  'em.  D'  yo' 
hear  'bout  las'  night  ?  " 

' '  Yes,  I  am  learning  the  true  condition  of 
things,  not  only  for  last  night,  but  a  great  deal 
that  will  bear  on  the  transactions  of  yesterday. 
I  can  tell  you  a  whole  lot  that  you  think  I  don't 
know;  and  let  me  volunteer  the  advice,  that  you 
begin  right  now  to  restore  quiet.  This  turmoil 
will  lead  to  the  organization  of  a  mob.  I  have 
the  troops  ready  for  business,  and  I  '11  shoot  down 
every  person  who  connects  himself  with  a  riot, 
and  I'll  begin  with  those  who  stir  the  thing  up." 

"  I  doan  wan'  no  mob.  I  'm  try  in'  to  keep  the 
ole  town  quiet,"  said  Brassley. 

"  Now  consider  what  I  said,"  persisted  Avery. 
"  That  old  musket  you  carried  out  yesterday  was 
found  near  the  scene  of  the  ambush,  discharged. 
A  mob  will  not  cover  the  blunders  and  conspira- 
cies of  yesterday  —  don't  think  it  will.  I  hold 
the  key  to  the  situation,  for  all  the  plotting  to  the 
contrary.  If  these  young  men  lay  in  hiding  and 
shot  the  sheriff,  they  shall  be  brought  to  trial  — 
they  will  have  to  answer  the  charge  anyway,  but 
it  will  be  in  court.  Now  get  your  men  out,  go 
from  place  to  place  and  send  these  people  home." 


In  Which  History  Is  Made  265 

Brassley  started  to  make  answer,  but  could  do 
no  more  than  stammer  acquiescence;  and  knowing 
that  he  was  beaten,  took  the  Captain's  advice  and 
within  half  an  hour  every  trace  of  disorder  had 
disappeared  from  the  streets.  Later  in  the  day, 
Howard  Grayson  and  Manning  Lewis  came  to 
town  and  after  engaging  the  services  of  Colonel 
Hughley,  the  leading  lawyer  of  the  County,  rode 
straight  to  the  jail  and  placed  themselves  at  the 
disposal  of  the  constituted  officers  of  the  law. 
They  were  accommodated  with  a  cell,  and  locked 
up  on  the  charge  of  murder. 

But  Avery  had  not  rested  on  his  interview  with 
Brassley.  In  answer  to  a  telegram  from  him  the 
division  surgeon  at  Nashville  came  down  on  the 
afternoon  train  and  made  a  post-mortem  examina- 
tion of  the  body  of  Jonas  Smith.  The  report  of 
this  autopsy  the  doctor  filed  with  Avery,  as  com- 
manding officer  of  the  post.  This  disposed  of 
the  case,  except  for  a  formal  hearing  before  a 
magistrate;  but  it  did  not  arrest  the  eager  hand 
of  the  history- maker. 

A  newspaper  correspondent  in  Kosciusko  repre- 
senting the  "Washington  Truth,"  the  "New 
York  Fact,"  and  the  "Chicago  Honour,"  sent 
out  a  special  telegram  to  each  of  his  papers.  The 
following  day,  thousands  of  readers  in  the  North, 
who  were  anxious  to  know  the  truth  concerning 
the  conditions  in  the  South,  were  shocked  to  read 
on  the  first  page  of  one  of  these  widely  circulated 
and  highly  credited  sheets:  — 

SOUTHEEN  OUTRAGE  !  ! ! 

WAR    NOT    OVER  !    ! 

Officers  of  the  Law   Ambushed  hy  Rebels !  ! 


266  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Ruffianly  Outlaws  Shoot  from  Cover  and  Kill  a 
Faithful  and  Fearless  Sheriff  ! 

Great  Excitement  ! !  Loyal  Citizens  in  arms  to 
avenge  the  crime  and  protect  themselves!  An 
attack  from  Rebels  momentarily  expected  ! 

Such  is  history  ! 

The  good  people  of  the  North,  who  had  thought 
the  war  ended  and  peace  restored,  read  and 
wondered.  In  some  the  blood  boiled  again  ; 
others  could  not  understand  it;  and  many  an  old 
soldier  who  knew  the  newspaper  man  as  a  camp- 
follower,  said,  "A  lie."  But  the  correspondent 
of  "Truth,"  " Fact, "  and  "  Honour, "  followed 
his  meager  telegraphic  report  with  a  long  and 
detailed  account  of  the  dastardly  affair;  not  for- 
getting to  create  for  Miss  Mary  Lou  Grayson  a 
character  as  bold  and  bloodthirsty  as  his  genius 
could  contrive. 


XXIII 

Some  Reasonable  Conclusions 

THE  summer  quickly  passed,  and  the  autumn 
brought  its  harvest  of  dry  leaves  and  disap- 
pointed hopes.  The  drought  continued  without 
abatement  until  frost  had  blasted  the  few  sickly 
products  of  sterile  earth. 

Howard  Grayson  ahd  Manning  Lewis  remained 
in  the  fetid  cell  of  the  old  jail.  Their  only  com- 
fort was  a  rug  from  the  floor  at  Elmington.  A 
bouquet  of  fresh  flowers  and  some  food,  daintily 
prepared  by  Margaret  Dodge  and  Mary  Lou,  were 
the  daily  ministrations  of  Mrs.  Lewis  and  Mary 
Lou.  Every  effort  to  bring  the  charge  of  murder 
to  a  preliminary  hearing  was  unavailing.  The 
officers,  whose  duty  it  was  to  prosecute,  and  who 
talked  often  and  loudly  of  the  enormity  of  the 
crime,  found  convenient  excuses  for  delay.  Again 
the  plain  mandate  of  the  Constitution  and  the  one 
law  common  to  all  civilized  people,  requiring  a 
speedy  trial  for  those  accused  of  and  holden  for 
crime,  were  set  at  naught. 

The  persecutions  of  late  Confederates  continued 
with  relentless  virulence.  Scores  were  arrested 
and  imprisoned,  some  on  complaints  of  negroes 
who  never  prosecuted,  for  the  negro  had  been 
made  a  half-citizen,  and  could  appear  as  a  wit- 
ness; some  on  complaints  from  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau,  that  never  were  substantiated;  others  by 
orders  of  the  Provost-Marshal,  that  were  wholly 

267 


268  In  the  Wake  of  War 


groundless  in  law.  Not  one  was  convicted  of  a 
crime  known  to  the  penal  code  of  any  civilized 
country  on  the  face  of  earth.  The  disheartened 
man  on  parole,  with  his  starving  family  about 
him,  bore  patiently;  he  thought  only  of  food  for 
his  loved  ones.  He  only  asked:  "Give  me  a 
chance."  If  he  complained,  it  was  of  the  loss  of 
time,  not  of  the  devastated  condition  of  his  affairs; 
this  he  regarded  as  the  work  of  his  own  hands,  or 
the  chance  of  war. 

In  seeking  relief  he  petitioned  Congress,  the 
President,  the  Governor,  but  could  not  break  the 
silent  contempt  with  which  he  had  been  treated 
since  his  case  had  passed  beyond  the  hands  of 
Grant,  and  since  Lincoln  was  dead.  Grant  had 
been  his  friend,  but  now  the  generous  conqueror 
was  out  of  practical  affairs.  He  had  been  placed 
on  a  pedestal,  lest  his  magnanimity  should  inter- 
fere with  the  plans  of  the  politicians.  From  this 
eminence  he  was  allowed  to  descend  once,  and 
then  he  made  a  report  that  set  the  schemers 
quaking  :  — 

"  My  observations  lead  me  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  citizens  of  the  Southern  States  are  anxious 
to  return  to  self-government  within  the  Union 
as  soon  as  possible;  that  while  reconstructing 
they  want  and  require  protection  from  the  Gov- 
ernment; that  they  are  in  earnest  in  wishing  to 
do  what  they  think  is  required  by  the  Govern- 
ment, not  humiliating  to  them  as  citizens;  and 
that  if  such  a  course  were  pointed  out  they  would 
pursue  it  in  good  faith.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
there  can  not  be  a  greater  commingling  at  this 
time  between  the  citizens    of    the    two    sections, 


Some  Reasonable  Conclusions  269 

and    particularly  those   intrusted    with    the    law- 
making power." 

An  election  was  held  meantime,  but  the  South- 
ern white  man  remained  at  home  with  his  work; 
he  was  not  wanted  at  the  polls.  The  Federal 
soldiers,  residents  of  other  States  and  Canada, 
exercised  without  question  the  glorious  privilege 
of  citizenship.  The  returns  of  this  election 
showed  the  choice  of  one  Abner  Johnson,  a  just 
man  of  conservative  views,  for  member  of  Con- 
gress; but  the  State  Administration  preferred  to 
honor  another  and  more  radical  candidate.  Ac- 
cordingly, Wisdom  and  Supremacy  sitting  at 
Nashville  threw  out  two  thousand  votes  that  had 
been  cast  for  Mr.  Johnson,  giving  the  minority 
candidate  a  large  majority.  This  was  the  first 
example  of  ' '  returning-board  ' '  count  the  South 
had  ever  seen. 

Winter  came  with  new  and  added  miseries  — 
cold,  hunger,  destitution.  Those  who  had  whereof 
to  eat,  divided  with  their  less  fortunate  neighbors 
until  there  was  little  left,  and  starvation  threat- 
ened whole  communities.  And  with  all  this,  the 
greedy  maw  of  revenge  was  not  sated. 

But  those  who  had  divided  the  food,  and  those 
who  had  lived  thereby,  drew  closer  together. 
Then,  too,  they  were  encircled  by  the  bond  of 
common  suffering  at  the  hands  of  the  officers. 
More  than  ever  before,  and  by  force  of  condi- 
tions, the  people  of  the  South  were  a  peculiar  and 
a  separate  people.  To  this  time  they  had  not 
thought  of  defence  or  retaliation,  only  of  endur- 
ance. They  had  hoped  that  their  sincerity  of 
purpose  would  bring  them  relief  and  quiet;  that 


270  In  the  Wake  of  War 

dignified  submission  would  soon  be  recognized 
and  appreciated  at  Washington ;  that  the  counsels 
of  Grant  and  Thomas  would  prevail. 

Spring  came  early.  It  brought  a  promising 
smile  to  nature  and  begat  new  hope  in  despair- 
ing man.  Again  he  was  in  the  field,  plowing 
and  planting.  Driven  by  the  direst  necessity, 
beckoned  by  the  hope  that  is  born  of  spring-time, 
he  worked  from  early  morning  until  late  evening. 

But  there  were  other  sufferers  whose  misfor- 
tunes added  their  load  to  his.  The  severe  winter, 
with  the  wretched  shelter  of  the  improvised  freed- 
men's  city,  had  caused  great  distress  among  the 
negroes  huddled  together  at  Kosciusko,  under  the 
protecting  wing  of  the  Government.  Old  slaves 
that  were  like  members  of  the  Southern  man's 
family,  were  hungry  and  sick.  This  widely  her- 
alded blessing,  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  had 
spread  disease  and  misery  amongst  the  people 
who  were  thought  by  the  -outside  world  to  be 
infinitely  benefited.  They  died  off  like  poor 
sheep  in  a  backward  spring.  The  food  distrib- 
uted by  a  parental  Government  was  furnished  by 
favored  contractors,  and  was  handed  out  by  polit- 
ical agents.  Between  these  two  evils,  the  poor 
black  man  did  well  to  survive  his  benefactions. 
He  became  alarmed  at  the  constant  presence  of 
death,  and  would  have  returned  to  his  cabin  on 
the  plantation  but  for  the  restraining  and  enlight- 
ening influence  of  the  Union  League.  In  this 
educational  institution  he  learned  that  his  old 
master  was  the  direct  cause  of  the  sufferings  then 
being  visited  upon  him  and  his  family. 

But  with  the  fi.rst  warm  sun  of  spring  hundreds 


Some  Reasonable  Conclusions  27t 


broke  away  and  wandered  sheepishly  back  to 
their  old  places,  begging  that  the  old  ties  of 
master  and  man  be  again  restored.  None  were 
turned  away;  some  were  hired  at  monthly  wages, 
others  for  a  share  of  the  crop.  These  contracts 
were  ratified  by  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  although 
with  a  tedious  regard  for  red-tape  methods  that 
savored  of  reluctance.  Not  only  did  the  officers  of 
the  Bureau  ratify  these  contracts,  but  they  retained 
them  for  future  reference  and  use. 

And  there  was  yet  no  clash  between  the  gentle- 
man of  the  South  and  his  late  slave.  But  the 
Union  League  continued  its  meetings.  It  de- 
spaired not,  and  lost  not  heart.  It  had  other 
expedients  that  would  be  tried  in  good  time.  For 
the  present,  the  negro  was  being  taught  the  use 
of  the  musket.  His  lively  fancy  foresaw  for  him- 
self glory  in  the  field  of  arms.  Not  only  had  he 
a  musket,  but  if  he  had  not  traded  off  the  old 
army  revolver  given  to  him  the  summer  before, 
he  now  was  doubly  armed.  Those  in  whom  the 
martial  spirit  surged  and  swelled,  returned  not  to 
the  plantations.  They  lounged  by  day,  dreaming 
on  the  glories  of  conquest,  and  at  night  took  on 
fresh  inspiration  at  the  League. 

And  the  maker  of  history,  the  mighty  man  of 
newspaper  space,  had  not  slumbered.  Each  un- 
fortunate that  was  brought  before  the  court  or 
cast  unheard  into  jail  or  prison,  furnished  a 
column  of  terrible  warning  to  the  good  people  of 
the  North.  No  odds  how  silly  or  senseless  the 
charge,  how  vicious  or  humiliating  the  punish- 
ment, or  how  patient  and  dignified  the  conduct  of 
the   victim,  it  all   made  to   the   one  conclusion: 


272  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"The  war  is  not  ended."  This  creature  came 
and  went  of  his  own  free  will,  and  was  often 
a  guest  of  the  people  whom  he  maligned. 

The  advent  of  spring  brought  another  innova- 
tion —  large  numbers  of  people  were  immigrating 
from  the  North.  They  were  well  received. 
Every  Southern  home  was  open,  and  such  as  the 
poor  people  had  was  cheerfully  divided.  A  few 
Federal  soldiers  who  had  marched  through  Middle 
Tennessee  with  Thomas  came  in,  and  to  them 
every  hospitality  was  extended.  The  Confederate 
and  Federal  soldier  met  in  fraternal  greetings, 
and  bartered  yarns  as  they  had  exchanged  tobacco 
for  coffee  over  trenches  during  the  lull  of  battle. 
But  the  civilian  immigrant  was  shy;  he  showed 
the  mould  of  the  history-maker. 

Some  bought  land,  or  sought  to  do  so,  but  the 
people  of  the  South  clung  to  their  old  homes  with 
the  same  desperation  that  characterized  their  life 
at  this  time.  Few  plantations  were  for  sale. 
Others  rented  land  from  the  Government,  held 
under  the  "Abandoned  Lands  Act."  Another 
class  set  up  in  towns  as  land  agents. 

An  era  of  prosperity,  new  and  unknown  to 
this  Section,  was  promised,  and  was  not  unwel- 
comed.  The  people  had  been  reared  to  be  con- 
tent with  the  rotation  of  seasons,  and  the  natural 
sequence  of  events;  but  now  they  were  worn  out 
with  persecutions,  and  saw  in  the  opening  of  com- 
mercial and  industrial  activity,  a  return  of  peace 
and  quiet.  They  thought:  "  If  men  are  occupied 
with  business  affairs,  they  will  forget  their  malice. ' ' 

A  conclusion  hopeful,  and  natural,  but  how 
disappointing ! 


XXIV 

The  Men  With  Carpet-Bags 

THE  recognition,  at  first  so  puny  and  peevish, 
that  Congress  had  accorded  the  local  Govern- 
ment, had  grown  bj  little  and-  little  as  the  rela^ 
tions  between  the  National  and  State  parties  took 
form.  The  professions  of  loyalty  to  any  project, 
however  monstrous,  on  the  part  of  the  latter  were 
sincere,  and  their  pledges  were  almost  fulfilled 
—  the  only  failure  came  by  mistake.  It  was  on 
the  subject  of  negro  enfranchisement. 

In  a  moment  of  impulse,  the  representatives  of 
the  local  Government,  in  mass  convention  assem- 
bled, resolved,  by  an  overwhelming  majority, 
that  the  black  man  should  not  vote;  and  more, 
that  no  man  who  favored  negro  citizenship  should 
be  supported  in  Tennessee  for  Congress.  Here 
they  came  near  splitting;  or  rather  the  National 
party  had  the  State  party  in  mid-air,  and  was 
about  to  cast  it  overboard.  But  a  lurch  in  the 
grand  old  Ship  of  State  called  attention  to  an- 
other quarter  for  a  little  time,  giving  the  local 
authorities  a  moment  in  which  to  prostrate  them- 
selves and  cry:  "We  didn't  know  that  was 
wrong;  do  tell  us  what  you  want  !  "  And  thus 
the  matter  was  patched;  the  only  penalty  exacted 
was  the  relegation  to  political  oblivion  of  those 
who  had  led  in  the  unfortunate  expression  of 
honest  sentiment  in  the  mass  convention. 

After  this  incident  all  went  well.     The  party 

18  273 


274  In  the  Wake  of  War 

in  Tennessee  sought  instructions  in  patriotism 
before  assembling  to  pass  resolutions.  These 
instructions  not  only  k«.p;.  the  politicians  charged 
with  a  superior  quality  of  love  for  the  undivided 
Union,  but  put  them  in  touch  with  the  broader 
policy  of  the  National  party.  From  this  associa- 
tion the  State  authorities,  from  Simon,  Governor, 
down  to  Brassley,  Sheriff,  had  learned,  before  the 
time  at  which  this  history  has  arrived,  that  with 
the  hatred  of  treason  could  be  coupled  the  love 
of  gain;  that  the  greed  for  vengeance  and  the 
greed  for  gold  could  join  company  without  preju- 
dice to  either  virtue. 

Little  gold  was  left,  all  had  gone  to  the  altar 
of  Conviction  —  the  most  sweeping  sacrifice  of 
personal  interest  to  political  principles  the  world 
has  ever  seen.  But  that  little  gold  was  wanted. 
The  National  party  had  plans;  the  National  party 
was  practical.  It  had  political  reckonings  to 
pay.  Leaders  had  henchmen  to  be  provided  for, 
and  the  creation  of  new  offices  meant  new  jobs. 

The  introduction  of  this  business  feature  into 
the  occupation  of  the  officials  called  for  a  com- 
plete readjustment  of  their  methods,  lest  the 
original  purpose  of  humiliation  and  persecution 
should  bo  overlooked.  The  native  Tennessean, 
who,  up  to  this  time,  had  arrayed  himself  with 
the  dominant  party,  was  wholly  incapable  of  har- 
boring at  once  two  designs.  His  life  and  train- 
ing were  uncommercial;  he  had  neither  tact  nor 
capacity  for  turning  a  dollar.  Useful  as  he  had 
been,   he  was  inadequate    to  the  growing  needs. 

So,  not  only  was  a  revision  of  plans  necessary, 
but  new  blood  was  essential  to  the  successful  and 


The  Men  With  CarpetBags  275 

profitable  execution  of  these  plans.  Again  note 
the  leading  hand  of  foreordination!  The  volun- 
teers for  this  vicarious  transfusion  sprang  up  on 
every  side;  they  were  on  the  ground;  they  had 
been  beckoned  by  an  unseen  hand  to  the  South, 
and  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  unfortunate 
Section  had  its  complement  of  ready  martyrs. 
They  were  the  adventurous  immigrants,  who, 
scorning  the  admonitions  of  the  newspaper  corre- 
spondents, had  gone  South  to  face  rebellion, 
after  the  Rebel  had  taken  to  the  plow.  Nothing 
short  of  predestination,  or  a  friendly  hint  from 
some  politician,  could  have  guided  them;  the 
country  was  waste,  trade  was  dead,  society  was 
disorganized,   starvation  was  rampant. 

Without  loss  of  time  offices  were  filled  from 
their  tattered  ranks,  for  most  of  them  wore  evi- 
dences of  pecuniary  misfortune.  The  prosperity 
of  the  North  during  the  war  had  not  been  suited 
to  their  talents  —  they  had  failed,  one  and  all ; 
and,  frayed  and  threadbare  from  the  scramble 
for  bread,  they  were  now  looking  for  an  occupa- 
tion devoid  of  the  vulgarity  of  competition.  As 
was  often  said  in  those  days,  they  wanted  a 
"  sure   thing." 

In  most  cases  the  visible  possession  of  these 
unseemly  immigrants  was  a  travelling-bag,  made 
from  carpet,  with  ugly  designs  wrought  into  its 
rough  surface;  and  often  its  lank  and  flabby  sides 
disclosed  a  wealth  of  unoccupied  space  within. 

Little  wonder  that  the  people  of  the  South, 
when  they  saw  this  horde  of  hand-bags  come 
bulging  into  their  midst,  revived  an  old  nickname 
and  called  these  immigrants,  ' '  Carpet-B aggers. ' ' 


276  In  the  Wake  of  War 

True,  these  men  were  Yankees,  but  all  Yankees 
did  not  carry  carpet-sacks,  nor  did  all  Yankees 
bear  the  distinguishing  characteristics  that  marked 
these  men.  They  were  a  type,  both  in  mould  of 
mind  and  bodily  feature.  To  know  one,  was  to 
possess  the  ability  to  recognize  his  fellow  on  first 
sight  and  at  long  range. 

One  of  the  most  striking  peculiarities  of  this 
crowd  was  their  voluble  sociability.  They  all 
loved  to  talk;  some  excelled  in  private  conversa- 
tion, while  others  shone  in  theoretical  discourse, 
in  which  stupendous  projects  were  easily  handled. 
They  all  seemed  gifted  with  great  words  for  public 
haranguing.  And  whether  the  conversation  or 
harangue  turned  into  politics,  religion,  science, 
perpetual  motion,  preaching,  lightning-rods,  or 
book  agency,  there  was  coupled  to  a  glibness  of 
tongue  a  patronizing  quality  of  manner  that  with 
some  audiences  carried  conviction. 

Each  and  every  one  carried  a  burning  thirst  for 
an  audience,  and  this  affliction  early  brought  the 
Carpet- Baggers  into  inharmonious  social  rela- 
tions with  the  men  of  the  South.  The  latter  were 
too  busy  with  rebuilding  to  stop  and  listen  to 
finely  spun  theories.  They  had  suddenly  become 
practical.  Accordingly,  the  immigrants  had  re- 
course to  their  grips  and  pass-words,  and  entered 
the  Union  League. 

Here  was  their  logical  abiding-place,  a  real 
Promised  Land.  The  negroes  never  tired  of  their 
interminable  and  inscrutable  talking,  and  ap- 
plauded and  got  the  "power"  at  the  climax  of 
every  discourse.  Many  of  the  Carpet-Baggers 
had  gone  South  on  the  mission  of  enlightening 


The  Men  With  Carpet-Bags  277 


their  black  brother,  but  once  there,  had  yielded  to 
the  allurements  of  a  social  ambition  never  before 
gratified.  But  this  ambition  was  of  short  life, 
and  thej  earlj  found  their  social  level  with  the 
men  whom  they  had  intended  to  evangelize. 

The  boundaries  of  their  political  mission  were 
less  definite;  for  with  the  expanding  policy  of  the 
party  in  power,  the  line  seemed,  each  succeeding 
day,  to  be  more  and  more  remote. 

Such  is  the  genesis  of  the  Carpet-Baggers, 
and  whether  their  origin  be  one  to  call  up  pride  or 
shame,  they  were  factors  in  events,  and  left  their 
imprint  on  American  history. 


XXV 

A  Business  Administration 

GOOD-MORNING,  my  dear  colored  brother; 
this  is  a  fine  morning, ' '  said  a  man  in  rusty 
clerical  habit  to  Uncle  Phil,  as  he  stood  at  the 
entrance  to  Elmington. 

"Tor able;  yas,  suh." 

"I  am  looking  for  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Grayson;  is  this  his  place,  good  brother?" 

"  Dis  am  Gunnel  Grayson's  plantation,  suh; 
but  I  doan  'low  as  I  is  yo'  br'er,"  answered  the 
old  negro. 

"Yes,  yes,  you  are;  we  are  brothers.  I  am 
the  friend  and  brother  of  all  colored  gentlemen. 
Is  this  Colonel,  as  you  call  him,  at  home 
to-day?" 

"Yas,  suh!"  said  Uncle  Phil,  regarding  the 
new  arrival  with  a  look  of  terror,  for  the  man 
was  afilicted  with  a  nervous  disorder  that  caused 
his  face  to  twitch  and  v/rinkle  outrageously. 
Uncle  Phil  thought  him  possessed  of  the  Devil. 

The  man  rode  up  to  the  house,  and  finding 
Colonel  Grayson  in  the  front  yard  at  work,  drew 
up  his  horse  and  after  his  face  had  puckered  itself 
a  minute,  introduced  himself. 

' '  I  am  the  Rev.  Joshua  Streeter,  late  of  Wis- 
consin. I  left  a  lucrative  field  and  a  large  con- 
gregation up  there,  to  come  down  and  cast  my  lot 
with  the  good  people  of  Tennessee.  I  wanted  to 
do   some  good;    wanted    to   convert   the   colored 

278 


A  Business  Administration  279. 

people  and  take  them  out  of  the  darkness  of 
ignorance  and  superstition.  But  that  's  a  big  job, 
Mister;  a  pretty  big  job.  Your  folks  showed 
their  appreciation  of  the  sacrifice  I  made,  by 
appointing  me  sheriff  of  this  county  —  Wilson  — 
or  Warren,  oh,  yes,  thanks,  Williams  County,  and 
Captain  of  the  County  Guards." 

"I  am  glad  to  know  you,  Mr.  Streeter, " 
answered  the  Colonel.  "Won't  you  get  down 
and  come  into  the  house?" 

"No,  thanks;  can't  stay.  As  I  was  saying 
about  this  appointment,  it  was  an  unexpected 
honor;  but  your  folks  said  they  wanted  a  business 
administration,  and  really  made  me  take  the  place. 
I  thought  I  could  combine  business  and  philan- 
thropy. Well,  I  started  in  yesterday  to  organize 
things.  I  found  a  terrible  state  of  affairs,  no 
head  to  anything.  This  morning  I  went  through 
the  jail,  to  kind  of  get  acquainted  with  my  board- 
ers. There  are  some  nice  men  in  that  old  place  — 
some  real  gentlemen.  I  found  two  young  men, 
charged  with  a  serious  crime  —  murder.  One  of 
them  is  your  boy,  I  believe  ?  " 

"My  son  is  in  your  jail,  so  accused,  Mr. 
Streeter,"  answered  Colonel  Grayson. 

"A  serious  matter;  a  strong  case,  too,  so 
I  hear.  Sad,  for  you  seem  like  a  nice  man,  and 
the  boys  appear  to  be  rather  decent.  Too  bad 
to  hang  such  young  men, ' '  said  the  new  sheriff, 
with  sympathy  showing  through  the  kaleidoscopic 
wrinkles  of  his  face.  ' '  And  the  very  moment 
I  saw  them,  said  I  to  myself,  '  something 
ought  to  be  done  to  save  them,  and  you,  Joshua 
Streeter,   are  the  very  man  to  do  it.'  " 


280  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"I  know  of  nothing  to  be  done,  except  to 
bring  the  case  on  for  trial,"  answered  Colonel 
Grayson,  with  perfect  composure. 

"That  is  the  worst  thing  in  the  world;  the 
very  worst.  The  proof  against  them  seems  to  be 
overwhelming.  It  ought  to  be  fixed  up,  Mr. 
Grayson." 

"I  know  nothing  about  'fixing  up,'  as  you 
call  it.  My  son  and  his  friend  have  tried  by 
every  honorable  means  to  get  a  hearing.  That  is 
all  we  ask  now." 

"Sure  to  hang,  Mr.  Grayson.  It's  a  very 
serious  case.  Let  me  suggest  that  you  and  I 
arrange  to  get  the  case  dismissed.  Let  me  tell 
you,  my  friend,  a  dozen  of  the  County  Guards 
will  swear  straight  against  the  boys.  Don't  speak 
of  a  trial;  I'll  do  anything  I  can  to  help  you  get 
the  matter  out  of  court.     That 's  your  way." 

' '  I  have  proposed  the  only  remedy  we  know 
here  in  the  South  :  A  fair  trial.  Now,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  information,  what  do  you  suggest?  "  asked 
Colonel  Grayson,  who  more  than  suspected  the 
mission  of  the  sheriff. 

"Well,  Mr.  Grayson,  I've  been  a  philanthro- 
pist all  my  life  —  I've  worked  in  the  vineyard 
of  the  Lord  for  these  twenty  years,  and  don't 
believe  in  harsh  measures.  I  don't  want  to  hang 
those  boys;  and  if  they  are  convicted,  as  sheriff, 
I  'd  have  to  do  it.  They  seem  to  be  fairly  nice 
boys,  and  I  can  save  them,  my  friend;  at  least, 
I'm  willing  to  try.  The  folks  down  here  hon- 
ored me  before  I  had  been  thirty  days  in  the 
State,  and  I  want  to  show  to  them  that  Joshua 
Streeter   appreciates    an   honor.     I    want   to    do 


A  Business  Administration  281 

some  good ;  that 's  been  my  work  for  going  on 
twenty  years."  And  he  added,  in  a  very  confi- 
dential manner:  "I  tell  you,  it  can  be  fixed  up, 
my  friend. " 

"How?  "  asked  Colonel  Grayson,  still  seeking 
direct  information. 

"  Oh, —  on  the  payment  of  some  money  to  the 
right  parties,  I  guess;  don't  know  exactly;  but 
I  guess  so,"  said  the  sheriff,  with  some  embar- 
rassment and  much  wriggling  of  features. 

"Why  should  I  pay  money?" 

"  To  get  rid  of  the  whole  thing.  You  can  bet- 
ter pay  certain  parties,  than  lawyer's  fees.  Then, 
if  we  fix  it  up,  you  do  away  with  certain  convic- 
tion—  the  boys  go  scot  free,  if  we  succeed." 

"On  your  suggestion,  let  me  ask,  what  amount 
would  I  have  to  pay?  I  enquire  for  informa- 
tion." 

"Oh,  oh  —  something  like  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, if  we  succeed  in  fixing  the  matter." 

"In  other  words,  I  am  asked  to  bribe  officers 
of  the  law?" 

"No,    not  a  bribe,  exactly.     Call    it    costs." 

"Now,  Mr,  Streeter,  my  son  tells  me,  and  I 
never  knew  him  to  speak  an  untruth,  that  he  has 
committed  no  crime.  And  more,  if  the  case 
comes  to  trial,  we  have  evidence  that  will  send 
the  County  Guards  scurrying  to  save  themselves. 
"We  stand  for  a  trial,"  said  the  Colonel,  sternly. 

"  Oh,  you  misunderstand  me.  If  five  hundred 
is  too  steep,  maybe  four  hundred  are  nearer  your 
circumstances  ?  "  persisted    the  philanthropist. 

"Not  a  cent!  My  son  is  not  a  criminal;  I 
shall  not  become  one  to  save  him  a  trial." 


282  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"It's  a  clean  business  transaction,  raj  friend. 
No  crime  to  save  those  boys;  perhaps  you  can 
raise  a  hundred  ?  ' ' 

"  Not  one  cent,"  said  the  Colonel,  with  as  much 
impatience  as  he  ever  displayed.  "  Allow  me  to 
bid  you  good-morning,  Mr.  Streoter. "  And  Colo- 
nel Grayson  started  for  the  house,  leaving  the 
sheriff  amazed  at  the  outlook  for  the  first  proposi- 
tion under  his  business  administration. 

"  It 's  a  clean  business  proposition,  Mr.  Gray- 
son, perfectly  clean.  I  want  to  save  the  boys, 
my  friend;  I  don't  want  to  hang  them.  Just  for 
costs;  no  bribe,  understand.     Better  think  it  over, 

my  friend ' '     But  Colonel  Grayson  had  gone 

into  the  house  and  shut  the  door  behind  him. 
The  preacher  was  not  abashed,  only  astonished  at 
the  lack  of  Colonel  Grayson's  perception.  The 
disdain  with  which  the  latter  treated  an  offer  so 
plainly  advantageous,  was  beyond  the  experience 
and  conception  of  the  newly-made  sheriff,  and  set 
him  to  thinking  seriously.  He  turned  his  horse 
and  rode  slowly  down  toward  the  pike,  ruminat- 
ing: "  What  ails  these  folks;  hain't  they  got  any 
business  sense?  Five  hundred  dollars  in  sight 
ten  minutes  ago,  and  not  a  cent  in  the  contribution 
box  now.  Well,  there  are  other  ways  to  make 
them  shell  out." 

Near  the  gate  he  met  Uncle  Phil,  and  stopping 
his  horse,  said:  "My  dear  colored  brother,  do 
you  work  for  this  man  ? ' ' 

"I  lives  hyear,  but  I  doan  wuck  t'  hu't," 
answered  the  old  negro. 

"  Have  you  a  contract  signed  by  the  Freed- 
men's  Bureau?  " 


A  Business  Administration  283 

' '  Naw,  suhj  I 's  got  uen*  cont'act  with  nobody. 
Gunnel  Grayson,  he  my  ole  marster;  I  doan  wan' 
no  cont'act." 

"Then  this  man  is  your  master,  is  he?  "  per- 
sisted Sheriff  Streeter. 

"  Yas,  suh." 

' '  Have  you  been  with  your  master  to  the 
Freedmen's  Bureau?" 

"Naw,  suh.  We  hev  nuttin  t'  do  with  no 
Bureau. ' ' 

"Thank  you,  my  friend  and  brother."  And 
the  sheriff  rode  away. 

That  very  afternoon  Zack  Brassley  and  two 
other  members  of  the  County  Guards  came  to 
Ehnington  with  a  warrant  and  arrested  Colonel 
Grayson  and  carried  off  Uncle  Phil  as  a  witness. 
The  new  officer  did  not  participate  in  the  execution 
of  this  mandate;  he  was  the  business  head  of  the 
department.  But  when  the  prisoner  was  brought 
before  his  honor,  N.  Lex  Witan,  Sheriff  Streeter 
was  present  as  witness  and  prosecutor. 

The  case  was  immediately  called,  and  the 
magistrate  read  the  complaint. 

"  May  it  please  the  court,"  said  Colonel  Gray- 
sou,  with  as  much  courtesy  as  he  would  have 
shown  in  addressing  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
land,  "that  does  not  explain  how  I  am  brought 
here  by  force  and  arms  to  answer  this  remarkable 
charge.  This  negro  man.  Uncle  Phil,  my  life-* 
long  friend,  is  not  in  my  employ.  He  has  not 
done  a  day's  work  under  my  direction  for  above 
thirty  years. ' ' 

' '  He  is  on  your  premises,  and  I  suppose  at 
work;  at  least  he  told  me  you  were  his  employer." 


284  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"  I  say  Cunnel  Graysou  war  my  ole  marster, 
suh  !  "  Uncle  Phil  cut  in,  bristling  with  indig- 
nation. 

"Perhaps  I  misunderstood  you,  my  brother," 
said  the  preacher-sheriff,  smoothly.  ' '  I  certainly 
did  not  intend  to  misquote  you,  my  friend." 

"  Yo'  air  no  br'er  mine,  an'  I  tole  yo'  so  dis 
mawnin,"  answered  Uncle  Phil,  sharply. 

"Do  you  work  for  this  man?"  asked  the 
sheriff,   pointing  to  Colonel  Grayson. 

"  Naw,  suh,  I  doan  wuck  fo'  no  pusson." 

"Don't  work,  hey?  How  do  you  live?" 
asked  the  sheriff. 

"  I  wuck  for  de  Lawd,  suh.  1  is  a  preacher  of 
de  Gospil,"  answered  Uncle  Phil,  with  functional 
reverence,  and  especial  emphasis  on  the  last 
syllable  of  "Gospil." 

"Ah,  I  see;  yes,  dear  brother,  'The  Lord  is 
mindful  of  his  own,'  and  will  provide,"  said  the 
sheriff,  although  his  own  appearance  discredited 
either  his  calling  or  his  statement. 

"And  Uncle  Phil's  friends  make  up  the  bal- 
ance," put  in  Colonel  Grayson. 

"This  is  a  remarkable  case,   indeed.     Tell  me 

about  it,   won't   you,   Mister ?"    asked    the 

sheriff,  of  Colonel  Grayson. 

"  With  ])leasure,  sir;  but  first  permit  me  to 
correct  your  pronunciation  of  my  name.  It  is 
Grayson,  Rodeny  Grayson,  sir  ;  not  'Mister.' 
There  is  little  to  add  to  what  Uncle  Phil  has  said. 
He  has  a  good  tract  of  land,  in  the  middle  of 
which  stands  a  more  than  comfortable  frame  cot- 
tage  of   two   rooms.      Here    he   reigns  supreme 


A  Business  Administration  285 

"Doan  fo'git  Manda,  Mars  Rodeny,"  put  in 
the  negro. 

"Oh,  yes,  except  for  Aunt  Manda,  his  wife. 
They  make  a  garden,   raise  a  pig  or  two " 

"But  de  Yankee  sojers  stole  'em,"  broke  in 
Uncle  Phil. 

"And  some  chickens " 

"  Dey  stole  dem,  too,"  interrupted  Uncle 
Phil. 

"And  what  they  need  beyond  that,"  continued 
Colonel  Grayson,  ' '  comes  to  the  good  old  people 
from  their  friends." 

"Emm,  emm,  yes,  yes;  evidently  we  have 
made  a  mistake,"  said  the  sheriff,  looking  at  the 
magistrate.  ' '  Guess,  your  honorable  court,  we 
shall  have  to  dismiss,  upon  payment  of  cost; 
although  there  is  not  quite  sufficient  proof  to  war- 
rant the  conclusion  that  there  should  not  be  a 
contract." 

' '  Yas,  I  think,  in  reason,  I  will  dismiss  the 
case,  if  Gunnel  Grayson  will  pay  the  cost,"  said 
the  magistrate. 

"Is  it  usual  for  the  defendant  who  has  been 
found  'not  guilty,'  to  pay  the  cost?"  asked  Col- 
onel Grayson. 

"  1^0  're  not  found  '  not  guilty, '  Cunnel ;  not  by 
a  jugful.  Hit 's  'bout  half  an'  half  ;  so,  in  rea- 
son, yo'  oughter  pay  cost;  an'  thet  is  the  decree 
of  this  Cote,"  and  the  justice  gave  force  to  his 
decision  with  a  whack  of  his  fist  on  the  desk. 
Streeter  folded  his  arms  and  looked  terrible. 

"  If  I  am  guilty,  I  await  the  sentence  of  this 
Court.  What  is  my  sentence  ? ' '  asked  Colonel 
Grayson,  calmly. 


286  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Thet  am  the  decree  of  this  Cote;  yo'  pay  the 
cost,"  answered  the  justice,  with  labored  delib- 
eration. 

' '  At  what  do  you  tax  costs,  sir  ?  ' ' 

The  sheriff  and  the  magistrate  held  a  whispered 
consultation,  after  which  the  latter  straightened 
up  and  looked  terrible,  as  he  said:  "  'Bout  ten 
dollars.   Gunnel." 

These  new  officers  never  were  certain  about 
amounts;  they  worked  to  a  sliding  scale. 

"Give  me  a  receipt,  please,"  said  Colonel 
Grayson,  as  he  paid  the  money.  Streeter  gath- 
ered in  the  coin  and  wrote  a  hasty  receipt. 

' '  Thank  you, ' '  said  Colonel  Grayson,  taking 
the  written  paper,  ' '  Now,  Uncle  Phil,  we  will 
go  home,   I  reckon." 

"Just  one  minute.  Mister Grayson.      Did 

you  say  that  this  colored  brother  is  married?" 
asked  the  sheriff,  as  they  started  to  leave  the 
court  room. 

"  He  is  married." 

"Legally  married?"  asked  the  sheriff. 

"I  reckon  so,"  answered  Colonel  Grayson. 
' '  The  ceremony  was  performed  in  my  parlor  by 
a  regular  clergyman,  the  rector  of  the  Episcopal 
parish  in  which  I  live.  There  were  a  large  num- 
ber of  guests;  my  friend.  Major  Lewis,  and 
myself  were  witnesses  on  the  certificate.  I  gave 
the  bride  away  in  good  orthodox  fashion. ' ' 

' '  Was  a  license   procured  ? ' '    asked    Streeter. 

"I  think  not,  sir.  That  was  not  our  custom 
for  negro  marriages." 

"Then  it  was  not  a  valid  marriage,  and  we  can 
not  recognize  it,"  declared  the  sheriff,  with  a  look 


A  Business  Administration  287 

at  Squire  Witan.  "Do  you  understand,  my 
friend  and  brother,"  he  continued,  addressing 
Uncle  Phil,  "these  white  folks  down  here  have 
fooled  you.  You  were  not  lawfully  married. 
You  are  an  adulterer  —  an  immoral  man,  and  all 
because    these    white    folks   have    deceived    you 


"Stop,  sir,"  exclaimed  Colonel  Grayson,  in  a 
voice  that  caused  the  baggy  knees  of  the  adven- 
turer to  strike  together.  "Do  you  charge  me 
with  having  deceived  this  good  man,  who  has 
been   ray   personal  friend   for  fifty  years  ?  ' ' 

"No,  no,  I  mis-spoke!  I  take  it  back,  Mis- 
ter  Grayson,"    whined    the  sheriff,    seeking 

shelter  behind  the  magistrate's  desk.  "In  my 
zeal,  I  went  too  far;  excuse  me,  please." 

' '  That  ceremony  was  performed  thirty  years 
ago.     Do  3'ou  question  the  legality  of  it?" 

"  Yo'  will  hev  to  get  a  license.  Gunnel,  or  we 
will  commit  the  nigger, ' '  explained  the  Court. 

' '  May  I  ask  if  you  know  the  current  price  on 
marriage  licenses  ?  ' ' 

"The  new  clerk  sells  'em  fo'  'bout  six  dollars 
fo'  whites,  an'  fo'  dollars  fo'  niggers,"  answered 
Witan. 

"Well,  Uncle  Phil,  we  will  get  a  license." 

"Better  have  the  marriage   performed   at  the 

Freedraen's   Bureau,    Mister Grayson,"    put 

in  the  sheriff,  as  the  last  counsel. 

Uncle  Phil  and  Colonel  Grayson  went  to  the 
office  of  County  Clerk,  paid  the  immigrant,  a 
retired  book-agent  from  Michigan,  four  dollars  for 
a  license  and  then  repaired  to  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau. 


288  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  We  will  have  no  mistake  this  time,  Uncle 
Phil,"  said  the  Colonel.  "Business  comes  easy 
under  the  new  administration,  if  one  has  a  plenty 
of  money." 

At  the  Bureau,  Colonel  Grayson  asked  for  his 
brother  Felix.  The  parson  was  there,  very  busy 
with  papers,  but  listened  to  the  story  of  Uncle 
Phil's  crime. 

"You  need  not  bring  Aunt  Manda  in,"  said 
he,  "I  know  it 's  all  right.  I  '11  fill  out  a  certifi- 
cate and  sign  it  as  preacher;  I  've  a  preacher's 
license.  1  '11  do  all  I  can  for  you,  Brother 
Rodeny  If  I  had  to  go  out  to  Elmington,  I  'd 
have  to  charge  you  ten  dollars;  but  for  this  certifi- 
cate  well,  I'll  be  easy  on  Uncle  Phil;  I'll 

charge  him  only  five  dollars." 

Colonel  Grayson  counted  the  money  he  had  left 
and  could  find  only  three  dollars  and  a  quarter. 

"Never  mind  the  certificate,  Felix;  I  don't 
seem  to  have  enough  money,"  he  said,  quietly. 

"Oh,  that's  all  right.  Brother  Rodeny,"  said 
Felix,  grasping  the  currency  in  sight.  "I'll  let 
Uncle  Phil  oft"  with  that;  he  's  a  sort  of  a  preacher, 
and  I  '11  be  easy  on  him.  He  's  a  good  old  man; 
has  done  me  a  hundred  favors;  and,  if  I  remem- 
ber right,  spanked  me  once  when  I  was  an 
urchin.  Glad  to  do  you  a  service.  Brother  Rod- 
eny; call  on  me  often." 

And  Colonel  Grayson  pocketed  the  paper;  it 
certified  that  Felix  Grayson,  Minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel, had  that  day  married  Phil  Grayson,  aged 
eighty  years,  and  Manda  Grayson,  aged  seventy- 
nine  years,  in  the  presence  of  John  Smith  and 
Joseph   Johnson,    witnesses.       Armed    with  this 


A  Business  Administration  289 

valuable  document,  they  went  thoughtfully  home. 
The  exhibition  of  power  seen  that  day  caused 
Colonel  Grayson  some  anxiety  for  the  outcome 
of  a  trial  of  his  son  and  Manning  Lewis. 

Uncle  Phil  was  disposed  to  discuss  events,  but 
his  master  refused  to  talk,  more  than  to  say: 
"You  now  see  who  your  friends  are,  Uncle  Phil. 
Mr.  Streeter  told  you  many  times  that  he  was 
your  friend  and  brother." 

"He  ain'  no  kin  of  mine.  Naw,  suh,  Mars 
Rodeny;  an'  no  frien',  nurr.  I  jes'  wish  Manda 
hev  been  thar  !  "  And  the  old  man  chuckled  to 
himself. 


19 


XXVI 

When  Rogues  Fall  Out 

DURING  the  months  of  the  incarceration  of 
Howard  Grayson  and  Manning  Lewis,  Cap- 
tain Avery  bad  been  a  regular  visitor  at  Elming- 
ton.  He  was  more  tban  attentive;  be  bad  made 
frequent  offers  of  special  services,  and  bad  quietly 
volunteered  to  Colonel  Grayson  niucb  advice  in 
the  young  men's  case.  But  all  this  could  not 
change  the  attitude  of  Mary  Lou,  She  constantly 
bantered  him  about  his  politics,  and  at  times 
commented  on  the  peculiarities  of  bis  official  asso- 
ciates in  a  way  that  touched  his  pride.  He  was 
utterly  unable  to  discover  bis  place  in  her  estima- 
tion; be  never  once  felt  that  be  bad  a  standing 
that  warranted  a  declaration  of  love;  yet  so  cor- 
dial and  hearty  was  bis  welcome,  that  he  never 
for  a  moment  lost  hope.  He  knew  that  Colonel 
Grayson  was  his  friend  —  there  was  abundant  evi- 
dence of  that;  he  hoped  that  Mary  Lou  was  more 
than  a  friend,  yet  be  lacked  the  courage  to  break 
through  the  uncertainty  and  face  the  hidden 
fact. 

Not  only  did  Avery  call  at  Elmington  with 
constancy,  but  be  made  quite  frequent  visits  to 
the  young  gentlemen  in  the  old  jail.  But  in  his 
display  of  sympathy  be  was  much  more  discreet 
than  be  bad  been  on  the  exciting  day  that  fol- 
lowed the  shooting  of  Jonas  Smith.  Then  bis 
own  official  position  had  been  plotted  against;  he 

290 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  291 

was  personally  interested  to  discover  and  hold  all 
possible  evidence  that  would  place  the  County 
Guards  under  his  power. 

In  fact,  a  change  had  come  over  the  feelings  of 
Captain  Avery  since  his  meeting  with  Manning 
Lewis  at  the  Bluff,  When  he  tore  to  shreds  and 
burned  the  resignation  he  had  written  under  the 
press  of  impulse,  his  attitude  toward  the  people 
he  met,  except  the  Graysons  and  Lewises,  was 
completely  altered.  His  conduct  became  more 
studied,  less  spontaneous;  he  suddenly  became 
conciliatory  toward  the  Federal  officers,  although 
he  still  heartily  detested  them.  With  the  advent 
of  the  men  with  carpet-bags,  he  even  found  some 
associates.  Distasteful  as  they  were,  he  felt  more 
at  ease  with  them  than  he  did  with  the  cordial, 
genial  gentlemen  of  the  South.  In  company  with 
the  Carpet-Baggers,  he  was  not  embarrassed  by 
a  feeling  of  responsibility  for  the  insults  and 
humiliations  that  were  daily  heaped  upon  the 
Southern  people. 

The  idea  of  leaving  the  army  to  become  a 
citizen  of  Tennessee  had  gone  up  with  the  smoke 
of  his  burning  resignation.  The  Captain  seemed 
to  think  that  his  proposed  renunciation  of  political 
faith  and  associations  had  not  received  sufficient 
encouragement.  Mary  Lou,  especially,  had  not 
rejoiced  over  his  abjuration  in  the  gracious  and 
condescending  manner  that  he  had  hoped  she 
would.  Others  to  whom  he  had  confided  his  rash 
purpose,  expressed  a  welcome  as  cordial  as  he 
could  have  desired;  but  none  seemed  to  regard  it 
as  a  matter  of  life  and  death  to  the  South. 

Now  he  was  often  in  consultation  with  Felix 


292  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Graj^son;  and  Joshua  Streeter,  the  new  sheriflf, 
advised  with  him  on  nearly  every  important 
measure.  It  so  happened  that  the  day  after 
Streeter  had  made  advances  to  Colonel  Grayson 
for  the  release  of  the  young  gentlemen,  he  called 
on  Avery  and  related  to  him  the  whole  con- 
versation. 

"Now,  Streeter,"  said  Avery,  who  not  only 
had  plans  of  his  own,  but  saw  a  long-wished-for 
opportunity  to  create  an  obligation,  "you  'd  bet- 
ter not  push  that  case  to  trial.  I  know  all  about 
it;  too  much  for  the  good  of  the  County  Guards. 
Those  young  fellows  have  evidence  that  you  can't 
get  around  with  all  the  witnesses  in  Christendom. 
Instead  of  hanging  two  Rebels,  you  '11  lose  some 
of  your  Guards.  Old  Colonel  Grayson  can't  be 
worked  for  a  cent,  that's  certain.  It 's  a  nasty 
business,  and  the  sooner  you  are  out  of  it,  the 
better." 

"  Seems  as  if  we  ought  to  get  some  fees  out  of 
it,"  persisted  the  sheriflf,  working  his  face. 

"  If  you  knew  what  I  know,  you  would  be  glad 
to  let  go  without  having  any  questions  asked.  I 
will  see  Colonel  Grayson  and  hush  the  thing  up, 
and  you  arrange  to  let  the  fellows  out  to-morrow. ' ' 

"As  you  think  best.  Brother  Avery;  only  we 
ought  to  get  some  money;  a  business  administra- 
tion, you  know, ' '  said  the  sheriff,  twisting  his  face 
into  hideous  wrinkles. 

"  Never  mind  fees, —  save  the  administration," 
said  Avery. 

Later  in  the  day,  Streeter  recounted  his  experi- 
ence with  Colonel  Grayson,  to  Felix. 

' '  You  don't  know  how  to  manage  these  people, 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  293 

Brother  Streeter,"  was  Felix's  reply.  "I  was 
born  at  Elniington  and  know  just  how  to  touch 
every  man  in  this  country.  Too  bad,  Brother 
Streeter,  I  fear  you  've  spoiled  the  whole  thing. 
I  '11  drive  out  this  evening  and  see  Brother 
Rodeny.  I  will  present  the  case  right.  He  will 
see  at  a  glance  that  we  have  witnesses,  court  and 
jury;  perhaps  I  can  pull  the  scheme  through." 

"  But  Captain  Avery  thinks  we  have  a  rather 
poor  case." 

"  Oh,  Avery  is  trying  to  court  my  brother's 
foster-daughter;  he  has  been  against  us  all  along. 
Don't  blame  him  for  courting — she  is  the  pret- 
tiest girl  in  Tennessee  —  but  business  is  business. 
There  are  some  things  in  the  case  that  are  hard 
to  explain,  but  the  young  fellows  don't  know  of 
them.  I  '11  fix  it,  Brother  Streeter,  and  we  will 
attend  to  the  fees.  Who  '11  be  in  the  divide  ?  " 
'  The  sheriff,  the  clerk,  the  Provost-Marshal 
and  one  or  two  others,"  answered  Streeter,  with 
horrible  grimaces. 

' '  Who  are  the  others  ?  ' '  asked  Felix. 

"  The  agent  of  the  Bureau." 

"And  the  Judge?  '' 

"  I  suppose  he  is  entitled  to  something." 

"  The  Attorney-General  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"And  myself?" 

"Certainly,  Brother  Grayson,"  answered  the 
sheriff. 

' '  I  will  try  and  earn  my  share, ' '  said  Felix, 
and  he  ordered  his  carriage. 

Streeter  went  direct  from  this  conversation  to 
Avery's    headquarters,    intending    to    delay    the 


294  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Captain  until  Felix  Grayson  should  have  an 
opportunity  to  report.  But  when  he  arrived  at 
Avery's  tent  he  was  told  that  the  Captain  had  gone 
out  for  a  ride,  as  was  his  custom  of  a  pleasant 
afternoon.  Returning  quickly  to  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau  he  found  that  Felix  had  driven  away 
during  his  absence.  Evidently  his  plans  were  in 
danger  of  going  awry.  He  stood  still  for  several 
minutes,  and  the  features  of  his  face  did  awful 
execution. 

When  Felix  drove  up  to  his  brother's  house 
that  afternoon,  he  found  Mary  Lou,  Colonel 
Grayson,  and  Avery  upon  the  front  porch.  A 
chair  was  brought  for  tlie  young  parson  and  he 
was  asked  to  join  the  circle. 

' '  Thanks,  Brother  Rodeny.  This  is  the  most 
hospitable  roof  in  America;  hospitality  has  de- 
scended in  this  house  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, until  it  permeates  every  nook  and  corner. 
Is  that  poetic  enough  for  you,  Mary  Lou  ?  ' '  said 
Felix,  in  his  best  mood. 

"Very  pretty.  Uncle  Felix,"  she  answered, 
"  but,  as  the  newspapers  are  saying:  '  Important, 
if  true.'  " 

"Oh,  it  's  true,  easy  enough;  I  w^as  born  here 
and  know  all  about  it,"  he  replied.  "  But  why 
do  you  persist  in  calling  me  '  Uncle  ?  '  Am  I  so 
very  old  'i  " 

"No,  not  so  venerable;  but  you  are  father's 
brother.  That  surely  is  no  fault  of  mine.  Uncle 
Felix." 

"  But  I  don't  like  it,  Mary  Lou.  I  'd  rather  be 
your  friend  than  your  uncle,"  he  said,  somewhat 
nettled  by  her  indifference. 


When  Rogues  Falu  Out  295 

"Now,  would  irt  you  like  to  be  both?"  she 
asked,  with  tantalizing  sweetness. 

"  I  don't  like  to  be  uncle." 

"  Sure-enough  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sure-enough." 

"Well,  Mr.  Grayson,  if  the  relationship 
annoys  you,  I  won't  advertise  it  —  unless  I  for- 
get,"  she  said,  v/ith  exaggerated  seriousness. 

"lou  are  an  awful  tease;  yon  know  I  am 
proud  of  my  connection  with  this  family,"  said 
Felix.  Then  turning  to  Colonel  Grayson,  he  con- 
tinued: "Having  again  settled  this  old  quarrel 
witli  Mary  Lou,  I  have  a  matter  of  interest  to 
suggest  to  you.  You  need  not  withdraw,  Captain 
Avery;  you  are  a  good  friend  to  our  family.  I 
refer  to  getting  Hov/ard  and  young  Lewis  out  of 
their  trouble.  I  don't  care  for  Lewis,  he  is  a 
rather  wild  and  irreligious  fellow,  but  I  have 
worried  about  Howard  these  months;  and  never, 
until  Brother  Streeter  was  made  sheriff,  have  I 
seen  my  way  to  be  of  any  service  to  you.  As  I 
have  often  said  to  you,  there  is,  or  has  been, 
a  conflict  between  State  and  Federal  authority. 
Captain  Avery  and  I  belong  to  the  latter;  the 
boys  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  former. 
You  see  my  position.  'Now  Streeter  is  a  very 
reasonable  man;  a  good  and  devout  man.  He 
don't  want  to  do  anything  wrong.  I  have  some 
influence  with  him;  he  will  listen  to  me.  I  talked 
the  case  over  with  him  a  long  time  this  morning, 
and  finally  he  got  sense.  He  will  do  the  right 
thing;  at  least,  he  is  willing  to  try  to  help  the 
boys.  Wouldn't  you  like  to  have  Howard  home, 
Mary  Lou?" 


296  In  the  Wake  of  War 


"  Surely,  when  be  is  honorably  discharged, 
U ,"  but  she  sav'ed  herself  the  full  "  Uncle." 

"It  can  be  done  to-morrow,"  said  Felix, 
eagerly.  "To  drive  Howard,  a  free  man,  out 
here  for  dinner  to-morrow  would  be  the  proudest 
act  of  my  life.  I  will  contribute  a  bouquet  of 
flowers  for  the  table!  Would  n't  that  be  a  festival 
occasion.  Captain?  Howard  free!  honorably 
discharged  !     What  say  you.  Brother  Rodeny?" 

"  You  know  the  Grayson  pride  too  well  to 
ask,"  said  Colonel  Grayson,  in  a  non-committal 
manner,  for  he  had  not  yet  heard  the  conditions. 

' '  Some  costs  have  been  made  which  the  officers 
demand  shall  be  paid  —  a  mere  trifle  • —  but  they 
will  have  to  be  paid,  nevertheless.  Of  course 
you  don't  mind  that,  so  long  as  Howard  goes 
free?" 

"  Pardon  me,  Felix,  but  I  do  mind,"  answered 
Colonel  Grayson,  quickly. 

"He  will  be  honorably  discharged;  he  will  be 
fully  acquitted;  I  would  suggest  nothing  else," 
said  Felix. 

"To  the  world,  yes;  to  me,  no.  Your  man, 
Streeter,  was  here  yesterday  and  proposed  a 
bribe;  with  discourtesy  that  1  can  not  remember 
ever  before  to  have  shown  any  person,  I  walked 
off  and  left  him  sitting  out  there  in  the  yard  and 
v/ent  into  the  house  to  tell  Mary  Lou  that  the 
turnip-greens  were  big  enough  to  pull." 

"Indeed!  was  Streeter  here?"  asked  Felix, 
with  great  surprise.  "  Strange  he  did  n't  tell  me 
about  it.  Well,  well,  you  decline  to  pay  the 
costs  ?  But,  Brother  Rodeny,  these  fellows  have 
witnesses,  jury  and  court,  all  against  the  boys." 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  297 

"  As  I  told  Mr.  Streeter,  '  a  fair  trial  is  all  we 
ask,'  "  said  Colonel  Grajson,  firmly. 

"The  costs  are  but  a  trifle,  Brother  Rodeny. " 

"Not  a  cent,  Felix,"  said  Colonel  Grayson, 
quietly. 

"Well,  this  beats  me;  but  I  shall  keep  right 
on  at  work  for  Howard's  release,"  said  Felix. 
"I  wouldn't  mind  paying  the  costs  myself,  if 
Mary  Lou  would  ask  me  to  do  so,"  And  the 
parson  cast  an  enquiring  look  at  the  young  lady. 

"  Father  speaks  for  the  family,  U " 

"Not  one  penny  from  anybody,  on  such  an 
account,"  said  Colonel  Grayson,  in  his  quiet, 
pleasant  manner. 

"  Five  o'clock  !  I  must  be  going,"  said  Felix, 
consulting  his  watch.  ' '  What  do  you  think  of 
the  case  against  the  boys.  Captain  Avery  ?  "  asked 
Felix,  rising  to  take  his  leave. 

"  I  have  no  opinion  to  express  at  this  time," 
said  Avery,  who  could  scarcely  conceal  his  disgust. 

After  Felix  had  driven  away,  the  Captain  was 
silent  for  some  minutes,  but  v/hen  he  arose  to  go, 
he  said:  "  I  think  this  matter  can  be  arranged 
without  any  payment  of  costs  or  bribe,  as  I  told 
you  before  Mr.  Grayson  came.  Of  course  we 
don't  know  what  deviltry  they  have  hatched  up 
since  I  left  town;  but  I  will  do  my  best,  and  will 
let  you  know  results  to-morrow.  Miss  Mary  Lou, 
when  you  visit  your  brother  and  friend." 

"Thank  you,  very,  very  much,  Captain 
Avery,"  said  Mary  Lou. 

The  next  morning  Mary  Lou  rode  Howard's  old 
war  horse  to  Kosciusko  and  carried  her  basket  of 
delicacies,  the  work  of  her  own  hands,  for  Howard 


298  In  the  Wake  of  War 


and  his  fellow  prisoner.  Tlirough  all  these  wearj 
months,  she  had  not  once  failed,  for  rain  or 
shine.  At  the  door  of  the  jail  she  was  denied 
admittance,  and  when  she  sought  to  establish  her 
right  to  see  her  brother,  the  negro  jailer  cut  her 
off  rudely:  "  Naw,  yo'  caint  git  in  hyear.  No 
mo'  foolisherness  —  dems  o'ders  from  de  she'ff, 
an'  o'ders  is  o'ders,  as  Cap'n  Smith  iiseter  say." 

"  May  I  see  the  sheriff,  please  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Naw!  De  she'ff  done  gone  'way  an'  lef 
dem  o'ders.     Yo'  caint  see  'im,  I  tells  yo'." 

' '  Will  you  please  to  carry  this  basket  of  food 
to  my  brother?  "  she  asked,  almost  pleadingly. 

"  Naw,  mum;  I  haint  got  no  o'ders." 

The  insolence  of  the  negro  was  unbearable; 
and  to  add  to  it,  some  black  loafers  wearing  old 
Federal  uniforms,  standing  about  the  jail,  laughed 
boisterously  at  her  embarrassment.  ' '  She  nerr 
seen  'em,"  said  one,  in  a  rough  voice;  another 
bawled  out:  "Bottom  rail  on  do  top  of  de  fence." 
Evidently  they  had  been  posted  there  to  annoy 
her. 

This  resolute  girl  never  before  had  felt  so 
utterly  helpless.  Her  brother  in  jail  ;  her  father 
at  home,  three  miles  away;  not  a  friend  in  the 
world  available  to  lend  her  a  hand.  And  most  of 
all,  her  brother  was  at  that  moment  hungry,  for 
he  could  not  eat  the  putrid  food  given  to  the 
prisoners.  She  could  have  smiled  on  the  insults, 
if  Howard  and  Manning  had  had  the  contents  of 
her  basket.  She  dared  not  go  to  Felix;  she 
could  not  appeal  to  Avery.  The  sense  of  desola- 
tion, the  feeling  of  helplessness,  the  insults  of 
the  hired  loafers,  the  disappointment  at  leaving 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  299 

her  brother  without  food,  overcame  her;  with  tears 
streaming  down  her  cheeks  she  momited  the  old 
horse  and  turned  toward  home.  She  had  hoped, 
and  not  without  good  cause,  that  Howard  and 
Manning  would  be  free;  but  instead  she  had  been 
denied  the  poor  pi-ivilege  of  seeing  them  or  feed- 
ing them.  For  once  she  was  unable  to  control  her 
feelings;  and  as  she  rode  away,  weeping  passion- 
ately, the  negroes  shouted  in  derision. 

Two  blocks  from  the  jail  she  met  Avery;  she 
had  not  seen  him  through  her  blinding  tears  until 
he  called  "whoa"  to  her  horse.  Instantly  she 
sat  erect,  and  dashing  the  tears  from  her  eyes, 
smiled  a  pleasant  good-morning. 

"Ah,  Miss  Grayson,  what  is  the  matter? 
What  has  happened?  " 

"  Nothing,  Captain  Avery;  only only " 

and  her  voice  broke  and  she  wept  anew. 

"  What  is  it,  please;  do  tell  me,"  he  cried,  and 
in  his  excitement  he  drew  his  sword  from  its 
scabbard.  "Oh,  I  can  guess!  Those  damned 
scoundrels  have  refused  to  let  you  see  your 
brother.  Pardon  my  language  —  I  forgot  your 
presence.  Come  back,  please,  I  will  attend  to 
this  matter  myself." 

' '  Thank  you.  Captain  Avery,  I  can  not  go 
back  there  now  —  those  negroes  were  so  rough ; 
I  will  go  for  father  and  we  will  return  directly." 

"  But  can't  I  be  of  service?  Do  let  me  help 
you  !     What  can  I  do  ?  "  he  asked,  eagerly. 

Her  face  brightened,  and  smiling  through  her 
tears  she  said :  ' '  Nothing,  thank  you  very  much, 
only  do  not  look  at  me  with  such  splendid  com- 
miseration   in    your    face.       I   really   have    not 


300  In  the  Wake  of  War 

deserved  such  grand  sympathy,  for  I  have  been 
a  baby  these  last  few  minutes.  But  Howard  is 
hungry,  right  now,  and  I  have  his  breakfast,  din- 
ner and  supper  in  this  basket.  You  can  do  him  a 
friendly  service  by  carrying  it  to  hira  ?  " 

"  Is  that  all  ?    Can't  I  do  something  for  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  thank  you,  you  can  do  me  an  especial 
favor. ' ' 

"Good!     What  is  it?" 

"  Do  not  mention  to  Howard  the  disgraceful 
condition  of  babyhood  in  which  you  right  now 
overtook  me.  It  would  make  him  unhappy;  and 
if  he  gets  out,  somebody  would  have  to  answer 
for  it.     Then  more  trouble  would  follow."" 

"Is  that  all?  " 

' '  Yes,  thank  you. ' ' 

"When  you  and  Colonel  Grayson  return,  I 
will  have  an  order  for  you  to  see  Captain  Gray- 
son and  Lieutenant  Lewis,  or  there  will  be  trouble 
among  my  friends  with  carpet-bags,"  he  said, 
ironically,  to  forestall  her  raillery. 

"  I  should  not  have  mentioned  your  associates; 
you  do  me  an  injustice.  Do  not  make  any  trouble 
for  yourself  on  our  account, ' '  Then  raising  her 
finger  threateningly,  she  continued:  "  As  a  last 
word,  I  command  that  during  my  absence,  you 
keep  the  peace." 

Mary  Lou  returned  to  Elmington  with  all  the 
speed  the  old  horse  could  muster.  She  told  only 
a  part  of  her  experiences  to  Colonel  Grayson,  but 
that  sufficed  to  arouse  fears  and  suspicions  that 
foul  play  had  been  practiced  on  the  young  men. 
They  feared  that  either  Howard  and  Manning  had 
been    subjected    to    a     star-chamber    trial,     had 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  aoi 

received  summary  sentence  and  had  been  secretly 
conveyed  to  prison  at  Nashville;  or  that  they  had 
been  nnirdered  by  hired  assassins.  Nothing  was 
impossible  if  the  officers  despaired  of  collecting  a 
bribe,  for  they  feared  a  trial. 

Colonel  Grayson  mounted  the  work  mule,  and 
with  Mary  Lou  rode  toward  Kosciusko.  As  they 
neared  the  village,  they  met  Felix  driving  like 
mad,  evidently  going  in  search  of  them.  His 
appearance  did  not  allay  the  anxiety  of  Mary 
Lou,  who  was  already  wrought  to  a  high  nervous 
tension  by  the  events  of  the  morning.  But  as 
Felix  drew  near,  his  beaming  countenance  reas- 
sured her. 

"Ah,  Brother  Eodeny,  I  have  it  at  last;  here 
is  the  order  for  Howard's  release.  Read  it,  Mary 
Lou,"  he  cried,  handing  her  a  folded  paper. 

"  To  the  jailer:  "  it  read.  "  Release  Howard 
Grayson  from  custody.  By  order  of  Attorney- 
General.  Joshua  Streeter, 

Sheriff." 

"  But,  Felix,  that  does  not  mention  Manning 
Lewis,"  said  Colonel  Grayson,  quickly,  when 
Mary  Lou  had  read  the  order.  "  Have  you  seen 
Howard  ?  I  do  not  think  he  will  accept  liberty, 
leaving  his  friend  in  jail." 

"Brother  Streeter  is  now  out  to  see  Major 
Lewis,  and  may  arrange  for  his  son.  I  could  do 
nothing  for  young  Lewis. ' ' 

"He  will  do  nothing  with  Walker  Lewis  on  the 
plan  he  suggested  to  me,  you  know  that,"  an- 
swered Colonel  Grayson.  "You  paid  no  money 
for  this  paper,  did  you,  Felix?  " 

"  Not  a  cent.     Influence,  alone. " 


302  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"I  will  see  Howard,  but  I  am  certain  be  will 
remain  witb  bis  friend.  Botb  are  equally  inno- 
cent, and  Howard  will  not  accept  freedom  and 
cast  an  imputation  on  Manning.  But  we  surely 
are  grateful  for  all  your  efforts  in  our  bebalf,  Felix. 
Sball  I  keep  tbis  paper  ? "  be  asked,  banding  out 
tbe  order. 

"Certainly,  it  is  for  you,  and  Mary  Lou." 

Felix  drove  on  down  tbe  pike  tbat  led  to  Fair- 
fax, evidently  to  meet  tbe  sberiff.  Near  tbe  jail 
Colonel  Grayson  and  Mary  Lou  met  Avery. 

"  Ab,  I  bave  succeeded  in  part;  bere  is  an  or- 
der for  you  to  visit  Captain  Grayson  and  Lieuten- 
ant Lewis  at  pleasure.  I  wisb  it  were  an  order  for 
tbeir  release;  but  tbat  will  come  later.  It's  bound 
to  come  !  Tbe  County  Guards  are  afraid  of  tbem, 
or  tbey  would  bave  been  out  montbs  ago.  Tbe 
young  gentlemen  know  too  mucb,  or  tbe  Guards 
tbink  tbey  do.  You  know  bow  tbat  is;  it  's  infa- 
mous, but  true  —  imprisoned,  not  for  crime,  but 
to  conceal  tbe  crime  of  otbers  !  But  matters  are 
badly  stirred  up;  a  crisis  is  near;  everybody  is 
trying  to  cover  tracks,  and  it  may  result  in  tbe 
release  of  tbe  martyrs.  I  bope  so!  Miss  Grayson, 
it  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  deliver  tbis  writing 
to  you."  And  tbe  Captain  raised  bis  bat  as  be 
banded  tbe  order  to  ber. 

"Tbank  you,  beartily,  Captain  Avery.  We 
feel  tbat  you  are  doing  your  best  for  us;  but 
again  let  me  ask,  do  not  embarrass  yourself  on 
our  account." 

Mary  Lou  banded  tbe  order  to  Colonel  Grayson 
and  be  fol'dcd  it  in  witb  tbe  one  be  bad  received  a 
few  moments  before  from  Felix. 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  303 


The  excitement  of  the  day,  the  tension  caused 
by  officers  scurrying  about  with  mysterious  and 
ominous  countenances,  by  watchers  posted  in 
several  parts  of  the  town  to  spy  on  the  movements 
of  certain  citizens,  was  not  all  outside  the  jail. 
The  clamor  raised  when  Mary  Lou  was  boister- 
ously stopped  on  her  way  to  visit  her  brother  had 
penetrated  the  corridors  and  was  known  to  every 
unfortunate  within.  Streeter  made  an  early  visit 
to  Howard  and  Manning,  and  after  expatiating  on 
the  glories  of  liberty  and  the  responsibilities  of  a 
sheriff,  sought  to  get  a  letter  from  the  latter  to 
Major  Lewis  asking  him  to  pay  a  bribe,  in  the 
name  of  costs,  that  they  might  be  set  at  liberty. 
Failing  of  this,  the  sheriff  had  issued  the  order 
forbidding  anyone   to    see   them. 

Later  on,  Felix,  to  whom  all  schemes  were 
known,  all  doors  open,  went  there  and  tried  to 
get  signed  a  written  statement  —  in  effect  a  piece 
of  perjury  —  exonerating  the  County  Guards  from 
participation  in  the  death  of  Jonas  Smith.  Zack 
Brassley  was  back  of  this  plan,  and  the  success  of 
it  was  the  same  as  the  earlier  undertaking  of  the 
sheriff. 

Naturally  enough,  after  the  stir  and  strain  of 
the  forenoon,  the  visit  of  Mary  Lou  and  Colonel 
Grayson  to  cell  Number  6  took  on  some  of  the 
features  of  a  reunion.  All  the  fears,  anxieties  and 
tribulations  of  the  morning  were  discussed,  except 
the  insults  to  Mary  Lou  by  the  negro  loafers.  Of 
this  she  made  no  mention.  The  heaviest  burden 
she  bore  alone,  and  in  silence. 

When  this  reunion  was  over  and  Colonel 
Grayson  and  his  daughter  had  started  for  home, 


304  In  the  Wake  of  War 

they  met  Felix,  his  horse  covered  with  foam  from 
furious  driving,  going  toward  the  jail.  Sheriff 
Streeter  rode  with  him. 

"What  did  Howard  say,"  Brother  Rodeny? 
cried  Felix,    without  stopping. 

' '  That  he  and  Manning  would  go  out,  or  stay, 
together,"  Colonel  Grayson  called  after  him. 

"All  right,"  said  Felix,  pulling  up.  "Come 
back  a  minute;  we  have  another  proposition." 

Howard  and  Manning,  pale  and  thin,  were 
brought  into  the  jailer's  office  and  all  were  seated 
for  a  general  consultation.  Avery,  who  had 
watched  the  working  of  events  and  thought  a 
culmination  near,  walked  in  and  joined  the  crowd. 
Zack  Brassley  edged  through  the  door  and  took  a 
chah-  near  Felix,  to  the  evident  discomfort  of  the 
young  parson. 

"We  ought  to  send  for  Colonel  Hughley," 
said  Howard. 

"He  's  out  of  town,"  answered  Felix,  prompted 
by  Brassley. 

Streeter  was  very  nervous;  he  shuffled  about 
the  room,  tried  to  appear  busy  and  preoccupied, 
and  twitched  the  wrinkles  of  his  face  into  count- 
less grotesque  forms.  Felix  was  spokesman,  and 
he  launched,  without  apology  or  preliminary,  into 
the  business  of  the  occasion. 

"  We  are  all  friends  and  can  get  to  a  settlement 
in  a  few  moments,  I  am  sure.  Howard  and  Man- 
ning Lewis  can  walk  out  of  here  free  men,  on 
one  condition."  But  nobody  present  seemed  to 
have  any  curiosity.     No  one  spoke. 

"On  one  condition,  I  said,"  he  continued, 
somewhat   disappointed  with    the    small  show  of 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  305 

interest  his  first  statement  had  created.  "That 
condition  is  the  surrender  of  the  negro  Pleas,  and 
the  return  of  Lieutenant  Brassley's  musket." 

"Two  conditions  to  that  deal, "  said  Manning 
Lewis,  quickly. 

"Very  well,  on  two  conditions,  then,"  said 
Felix,  a  little  annoyed  by  the  coolness  of  Manning. 

' '  Well,  Manning,  we  '11  go  back  to  Number  6. 
Have  a  pitcher  of  ice-water  sent  up  to  the  rear 
parlor,  over  the  kitchen,  second  floor,  known  to 
history  as  Number  6,  please,  Mr.  Sheriff,"  said 
Howard,  without  looking  up.  He  seemed  to  have 
little  confidence  in  the  proceedings. 

' '  Why  not  surrender  the  nigger  ?  ' '  asked 
Brassley. 

Howard  turned  his  gaze  from  the  floor  and  fixed 
it  on  Brassley,  as  he  said:  "  Because,  in  the  first 
place.  Pleas  is  not  a  nigger;  in  the  second  place, 
I  don't  know  where  he  is;  in  the  third  place,  if  1 
did  know  I  would  rot  in  jail  before  I  would  give 
him  up  to  you.  Do  you  know  where  Pleas  is, 
Father?" 

"  I  do  not.  I  have  not  seen  Pleas  nor  heard 
from  him,  directly  nor  indirectly,  these  last  nine 
months." 

"  Give  up  my  musket,  then, "  persisted  Brassley. 

"We  haven't  it,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

"Who  has?" 

"It  is  in  the  safe  keeping  of  a  good  and  trusty 
man ;  one  who  is  exempt  from  barbarous  search, ' ' 
said  Colonel  Grayson.  Avery  winced.  "That 
was  not  intended  for  a  personal  remark.  Captain 
Avery;  I  only  wanted  to  let  Mr.  Brassley  under- 
stand that  his  musket  was  beyond  his  power  to  re- 

20 


306  In  the  Wake  of  War 

claim,  for  the  present, "  Colonel  Grayson  continued, 
when  he  noticed  that  his  first  statement  had  made 
the  wrong  effect  on  Avery. 

"  Hit  's  my  gun,  my  property,  an'  I  want  hit," 
persisted  Brassley. 

"It  now  is  evidence,  and  the  demands  of  jus- 
tice rise  above  property  rights.  You  will  get  it, 
safe  and  sound,  after  it  has  served  the  needs  of 
justice,"  answered  Colonel  Grayson,  calmly. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that.  Colonel  Grayson," 
said  Manning.  "He  abandoned  the  gun  —  threw 
it  away  —  and  Howard  found  it.  Seems  to  me  it 
is  our  property.  We  want  it  as  a  souvenir,  if  we 
ever  get  out." 

"  You  ought  to  pay  a  reasonable  price  for  it, 
then,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

' '  Can't  we  arrive  at  some  arrangement  by  which 
these  boys  may  go  home  ?  What  would  you  sug- 
gest. Captain  Avery?"  asked  Felix. 

"Nothing,  I  believe,"  answered  Avery,  who 
had  a  scheme  of  his  own. 

"  What  will  you  suggest.  Brother  Rodeny  ?  " 

"A  fair  trial." 

"And  you.  Brother  Streeter  ?"  asked  Felix, 
quickly,   to  cover  his  brother's  answer. 

"The  costs  ought  to  be  paid,  and  these  prison- 
ers released." 

"  What  say  you,  Howard  ?  " 

"  Number  6,  and  ice-water,"  answered  Howard. 

"  And  you.  Lieutenant  Lewis?  " 

"This  talk  makes  me  sick,"  said  Manning. 

"Lieutenant  Brassley  ?  "  called  Felix. 

"They  oughter  give  me  my  gun,  or  be  hanged; 
them  is  my  opinions." 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  307 

Howard  and  Manning  laughed  heartily  at  the 
savage  sentence  of  the  late  negro- beater. 

' '  You  are  pretty  severe,  Lieutenant,  Can  noth- 
ing else  be  done  ?  "  asked  Felix,  looking  from  one 
to  another,  until  he  saw  Mary  Lou,  who  sat  erect 
and  defiant  between  her  father  and  brother,  holding 
an  arm  of  each.  "Can't  we  make  this  young 
lady  happy  by  the  release  of  her  brother  and 
friend.   Brother  Streeter  ? ' ' 

The  face  of  the  sheriff  twitched  and  wrinkled  a 
minute,  and  then  he  said:  "  The  costs  will  have  to 
be  paid," 

"This  is  a  great  disappointment  to  me,"  said 
Felix,  in  affected  despair.  "I  honestly  hoped 
that  they  would  walk  out  before  this,  free  men. 
The  State  officers,  from  the  Governor  down,  have 
refused  to  interfere.  The  local  officers  can  not 
see  their  way  clear  to  dismiss.  Well,  well,  we 
shall  have  to  invent  new  expedients." 

"Take  the  prisoners  to  their  cell,"  commanded 
Streeter. 

"Good-bye,  Little  Sister,  Come  to  see  me 
every  day  at  Number  6.  Don't  forget  the  num- 
ber," said  Howard,  cheerfully,  and  he  kissed  her 
again  and  again.  Poor  Mary  Lou!  The  tears 
that  had  started  in  the  morning  had  not  all  flowed 
out;  with  this  new  disappointment,  the  worst  of 
all,  she  broke  down  and  wept  pitifully. 

"Don't  weep.  Little  Sister,  or  I  shall  make 
a  show  of  myself.  You  shall  see  me  every  day; 
and  sometime,  some  day,  I  shall  be  free  —  free 
without  conditions.  Then  we  shall  be  happy 
again.     Give  my  regards  to  enquiring  friends." 

The  jailer  was  drumming  impatiently  with  his 


3D8  In  the  Wake  of  War 


great  ii'on  key  on  the  door  that  he  held  open,  and 
Howard  and  Manning  started  to  go.  As  they 
were  leaving  the  room  both  turned  to  say  a  final 
farewell,  when  they  saw  the  outside  door  open 
and  Anton  Nelson  enter.  Both  stopped  to  say 
''howdy." 

"This  is  a  pleasant  party,  only  for  Miss  Mary 
Lou's  tears.  Mr.  Sheriff,  Felix  Grayson,  Brass- 
ley,  whoever  is  responsible  for  the  suffering  of 
this  sweet  girl  can  not  be  adequately  punished. 
These  young  men  are  soldiers,  they  complain  at 
nothing;  but  the  man  who  causes  one  tear  to  stain 
these  beautiful  cheeks,  is  a  fiend.  I  am  not  an 
office-holder  nor  an  office-seeker,  and  can  speak 
my  sentiments,  so  long  as  I  have  the  personal 
courage.  Here,  Mr.  Sheriff,  are  papers  that  will 
break  up  this  little  party." 

Sheriff  Streeter  wiped  his  spectacles  with  the 
lining  of  his  coat-tails,   and  then  read:  — 

' '  To  the  Captain  of  the  County  Guards, 

Kosciusko. 
I  'm  tired  of  being  cat-hauled  about  that  Smith  case. 
Twice  I  have  asked  to  have  it  set  for  trial,  but  Feder- 
als interfered.  Have  Attorney-General  set  it  for  trial 
immediately — the  very  next  case  —  or  dismiss  on 
receipt  of  this.  Simon, 

Governor. ' ' 

"Decide  right  now,  no  more  deviltry,  or  I  will 
take  the  evening  train  to  Nashville,"  said  Mr. 
Nelson,  fiercely. 

"I  can't  dismiss;  that's  the  Attorney-Gen- 
eral's business,"  said  Streeter. 

"But  you  know  whether  he  intends  to  try  it 
or  not,"  interposed  Mr.   Nelson. 


When  Rogues  Fall  Out  309 

"He'll  dismiss,  I  guess." 

"Just  what  we  have  been  working  for  all  the 
time,"  put  in  Felix. 

"One  word!"  said  Mr.  Nelson,  angrily. 
"  But  for  the  infamous  opposition  of  three  men 
in  Kosciusko,  two  of  whom  are  here  present,  and 
the  third  is  yet  unknown  to  me,  this  order  would 
have  come  months  ago.  I  never  asked  for  more 
than  a  trial  or  a  dismissal;  the  other  thi'ee  de- 
manded delay.  Their  motives  were  probably 
known  to  themselves;  the  work  they  did  was 
damnable.  Colonel  Grayson,  you  may  be  able  to 
put  two  and  two  together  and  the  result  will  be 
the  schemes  that  prompted  these  three  persons. 
In  one  case,  it  was  money;  in  the  other,  I  don't 
know  what,  because  I  don't  know  who  did  the 
underhanded  work.  How  long  shall  our  party  be 
disgraced  by  such  sneaking  business!  " 

"I  can  not  thank  you,  Anton,"  said  Colonel 
Grayson,  taking  Mr.  Nelson's  hand.  Again  the 
sun  shone  tlirough  the  clouds,  for  Mary  Lou  was 
laughing  through  her  tears  as  she  showered  bless- 
ings on  the  head  of  the  honest  Kadical. 

"  You  don't  accuse  me,  do  you,  Brother  Nel- 
son? "  asked  Felix,  patronizingly. 

"  I  have  called  no  names,"  was  the  reply. 

"Wall,  I  arrest  thet  nigger  on  sight,"  roared 
Zack  Brassley,  as  the  only  outlet  for  his  rage. 

"  Not  until  you  get  your  musket,  if  you  know 
what 's  good  for  yourself,"  said  Howard. 

Brassley  had  forgotten  that  feature  of  the  case, 
but  on  being  reminded  of  it,  suddenly  remem- 
bered a  business  appointment  and  bolted  the 
party  without  another  word. 


XXVII 

The  Freedman  Becomes  a  Striker 

IN  no  other  part  of  this  continent  are  the  four 
seasons  so  definitely  marked  as  in  the  Middle 
Southern  States.  Here  spring  is  the  delightful 
season  of  bud  and  bloom:  three  months  of  new 
life  and  fresh  growth.  The  migratory  birds  come 
with  chirp  and  song  to  await  the  tardy  break  from 
winter  to  summer,  in  the  North.  This  splendor 
of  nature  was  at  its  full;  the  buds  were  open; 
corn  and  cotton  showed  bright  green  rows  that 
fluttered  and  rustled  in  the  breeze. 

Colonel  Grayson,  like  other  planters,  had  hired 
such  hands  as  he  could  get  from  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau.  Two  were  by  the  month,  at  fixed  wages 
for  the  crop  season;  three  were  at  work  on  the 
shares  system.  Contracts,  with  a  great  display  of 
pen-flourish  and  sealing  wax,  were  executed  and 
deposited  with  the  guardian  Bureau.  With  these 
laborers,  a  portion  of  the  wide,  rich  bottom 
adjoining  the  Opal  was  in  corn  and  cotton  that 
showed  a  promising  growth;  it  seemed  as  if  the 
soil  were  making  an  intelligent  efl'ort  to  reclaim 
its  character  from  the  disgrace  of  four  years  of 
weeds  and  foul  stufl's. 

Howard  Grayson  went  straight  home  after  his 
liberation.  That  same  night  Pleas  came  and 
knocked  at  the  back  door.  When  the  door  was 
opened,  he  grinned,  said  "  Good-evenin',"  and 
started    for   his  room,    as  if  he   had   been    away 


The  Freedman  Becomes  a  Striker  311 

only  for  a  day.  He  had  not  been  seen  there 
since  he  went  with  Mary  Lou  to  meet  the  young 
gentlemen,  nine  months  before,  although  the 
horse  he  rode  away  had  been  found  in  Mr. 
Dodge's  pasture  three  days  after  the  ambuscade. 

The  next  morning  Howard  took  the  field  to 
superintend  the  work  and  help  the  day  hands. 
His  presence  and  enthusiasm  gave  new  zest,  and 
everything  moved  merrily.  He  did  not  say, 
"Go;"  he  said,  "  Come  on,  boys."  The  pace  he 
set  proved  too  liot  for  the  negroes,  after  their 
idleness  of  a  year  about  the  Bureau;  in  less  than 
a  week's  time  the  two  day  hands  took  sick.  Doc- 
tor Anderson  was  called  in,  and  after  an  examina- 
tion pronounced  both  to  be  afflicted  with  ' '  spring 
fever."  The  sun  had  warmed  their  blood,  and 
had  developed  in  each  a  chronic  laziness  of 
malignant  type.  The  doctor  prescribed  steady, 
moderate  work;  but  the  men  refused  the  remedy. 

The  infection  spread;  the  share  hands  quickly 
followed  the  example  of  their  brethren,  and  to- 
gether they  spent  half  of  their  time  lounging 
about  Kosciusko.  The  cotton  was  at  that  period 
of  growth  that  required  constant  attention;  weeds 
covered  the  ground  between  the  rows;  a  few  more 
days  of  neglect  and  the  crop  would  be  ruined. 

Colonel  Grayson  took  Doctor  Anderson  and 
went  to  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  to  make  complaint. 
The  doctor  made  a  statement  regarding  the  phys- 
ical condition  of  the  negroes.  The  agent  listened 
patiently,  looked  wise,  and  invited  Colonel  Gray- 
son into  his  private  office. 

"This  is  a  hurrying  time  of  the  year,  Mr. 
Grayson  ?  "  asked  the  agent,  with  a  knowing  look. 


312  In  the  Wake  of  War 


' '  Yes,  sir,   very. ' ' 

"I'm  told  that  unless  cotton  has  good  care 
now,  it  will  be  a  failure." 

' '  Weeds  have  so  thoroughly  taken  our  soil  dur- 
ing the  past  four  years  that  they  grow  quickly. 
The  ground  must  be  tilled  constantly  for  a  month, 
or  we  shall  get  no  crop,"  answered  Colonel 
Grayson. 

"  Cotton  is  ticklish  stuff  to  raise,  anyway,  isn't 
it  ?  "  asked  the  agent. 

' '  With  us  it  requires  more  tending  than  in  the 
sections  farther  south. ' ' 

' '  Your  name  is  Grayson  ?  Yes,  Colonel  Gray- 
son,"  said  the  agent,  in  a  vei'y  friendly  manner. 
"  I  will  look  over  your  contracts."  And  he  sent 
for  the  documents.  After  reading  the  five  care- 
fully, although  they  were  exactly  alike,  except  for 
name,  he  said:  "  I  can  arrange  this  for  you  with- 
out further  trouble.  I  '11  ask  you  to  send  the  nig- 
gers to  see  me,"  he  continued,  writing  down  the 
name  of  each  on  a  tablet. 

"  I  surely  am  obliged  to  you,  sir,"  said  Colonel 
Grayson,  rising  to  go. 

"That's  very  good.  Colonel,  but  not  quite 
enough,"  answered  the  agent,  without  looking  up 
from  his  writing.  "  Here  's  a  little  bill  that  you 
will  please  pay. ' '  And  he  handed  out  the  paper 
on  which  he  had  written:  — 

Col.  Grayson 

To  James  Bragg,  Dr. 

Consultation   and  work  on  5   labor  contracts 

$25.00. 

Colonel  Grayson  dropped  into  his  chair. 
"You  look  surprised.      Well,  my  friend,  that 


The  Freedman  Becomes  a  Striker  313 

is  II  just  and  honest  bill.  My  duties  are  clearly 
defined  by  law.  I  have  to  make  contracts  and 
keep  them  on  file  for  reference;  but  keeping 
niggers  at  work  is  another  thing." 

' '  I  have  no  means  of  enforcing  these  contracts. 
You  are  the  guardian  of  these  colored  people  and 
ought,  in  fairness,  to  see  that  they  live  up  to  their 
agreements.  Besides,  I  have  taken  little  of  your 
time,"  protested  Colonel  Grayson. 

"Oh  I  can't  work  for  nothing;  my  time  is 
valuable.  I  'm  busy  from  morning  to  night  on 
just  such  cases  as  yours." 

' '  Can  not  I  get  other  hands  to  take  the  place 
of  these?  "  asked  Colonel  Grayson. 

"If  you  did  you'd  have  to  pay  these  niggers 
for  the  full  season ;  that  would  be  my  ruling, ' '  said 
Bragg,  with  all  the  assurance  of  a  man  of  un- 
limited power.  "  It '  s  cheaper  to  keep  these  at 
work;    don't  you  see?  " 

"I  have  not  so  much  money  with  me;  and 
what  little  I  have,  was  to  be  used  in  buying  food 
for  my  family,  I  shall  have  to  raise  the  money, 
sir. ' ' 

"Never  mind  the  money  to-day,  then;  but  it's 
no  pay,  no  work,  Colonel.  How  much  have  you 
in  your  pocket  ? ' '  asked  Bragg,  coldly. 

Colonel  Grayson  counted  out  six  dollars;  he 
thought,  from  former  experience,  that  the  ofiicer 
would   be  content  with  what  he  could  get. 

"Well,  I'll  give  you  credit  for  six  dollars  on 
account,"  said  Bragg,  taking  the  money  and 
making  the  entry. 

"May  I  trouble  you  for  a  receipt?  " 

"When  the  bill  is  paid,  I'll  receipt  it.     I  don't 


314-  In  the  Wake  of  War 

do  an  installment  business;  cash,  strictly  cash. 
When  the  bill  is  paid,  the  niggers  will  go  to 
work. ' ' 

Colonel  Grajson  went  home,  called  on  his 
banker,  Uncle  Phil,  who  raised  the  necessary 
amount  from  the  bed  of  Opal  Creek,  and  the  bill 
was  paid. 

The  next  morning  all  the  negroes  were  at  work, 
but  with  a  sulkiness  of  temper  that  promised  no 
permanent  good.  Howard  affected  not  to  see 
this,  and  led  off  with  all  the  force  he  could  com- 
mand. After  the  day  in  the  field,  all  the  negroes 
trudged  to  Kosciusko  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the 
League,  or  to  join  in  noisy  frolics  in  the  streets. 
These  nightly  brawls  had  come  to  alarm  even  the 
Federal  officers,  and  for  some  time  had  been  the 
terror  of  the  citizens;  for  the  black  men  had  not 
contented  themselves  with  story  and  song  and 
laughter,  their  usual  entertainment,  but  had  come 
to  make  night  hideous  with  cursing,  shouting, 
and   firing  of  pistols  and  muskets. 

That  night  the  house  of  Mr.  Sutton,  a  neighbor 
of  the  Graysons,  was  burned,  and  the  family 
escaped  with  their  lives,  only.  It  had  been  fired 
from  the  outside,  in  four  different  places.  The 
whole  community  was  aroused  and  assembled 
about  the  conflagration. 

When  all  was  done,  and  the  fire  had  reduced 
the  comfortable  home  to  a  mass  of  red  cinders,  a 
knot  of  neighbors  collected  in  a  corner  of  the  yard 
and  fell  to  discussing  the  event.  It  was  a  chance 
meeting;  the  same  over-ruling  Chance  decreed 
that  there  should  be  only  five  persons  present,  and 
that  these  five  should  be  young  men. 


The  Freedman  Becomes  a  Striker  315 

From  the  misfortune  of  Mr.  Sutton,  and  the 
probable  perpetrators,  it  was  but  a  step  to  the 
daily  chapter  of  outrages.  Then  and  there  a  com- 
mittee of  two  was  appointed  to  wait  on  the  Fed- 
eral and  local  authorities  to  ask  that  the  nocturnal 
orgies  of  the  negroes  be  stopped.  Each  of  the 
five  engaged  as  a  committee  of  one  to  ascertain  if 
possible  what  truth  was  in  the  rumor  then  current, 
that  speeches  had  been  made  in  the  Union 
League  tending  to  incite  the  colored  men  to 
crime.  The  following  night  was  the  regular 
weekly  meeting  of  the  League,  and  in  order  to 
give  all  an  opportunity  to  report  fully,  it  was 
agreed  that  these  five  persons  should  meet  on  the 
second   evening  on  the  Bluff. 

All  this  was  the  work  of  a  few  minutes;  for 
while  there  had  been  no  previous  consultations, 
the  subject  had  been  forced  upon  the  people  so 
often  and  so  fearfully,  that  all  had  given  it  mature 
deliberation  and  were  ready  to  act. 


XXVill 

An  Explanation 

THE  day  following  that  on  which  Howard  and 
Manning  were  discharged,  Captain  Avery 
rode  out  to  Elmington.  Colonel  Grayson  and 
Mary  Lou  were  just  back  from  the  field  where 
they  had  gone  to  see  how  the  work  progressed, 
and  had  taken  chairs  in  the  veranda. 

"'Light  and  tie,'  as  they  say  at  the  country 
store,"  said  Colonel  Grayson.  "Pleas  will  come 
directly  and  give  your  horse  better  attention." 

"Thank  you;  I  can  stay  only  a  few  minutes, 
and  Pomp  will  do  nicely  tied  to  this  limb." 

"  Can  not  you  stay  and  have  supper  with  us, 
Captain  Avery?  "  asked  Colonel  Grayson.  "  Our 
family  circle  is  complete  again,  and  we  are  in  an 
unusually  hospitable  mood.  You  see,  Captain, 
we  do  not  know  how  long  we  shall  be  undisturbed. 
Howard,  or  I,  or  both,  for  that  matter,  may  be  in 
jail  before  another  sun;  hence  we  must  enjoy  the 
moments  of  freedom  while  we  have  them." 

"Thank  you,  again,  but  I  can't  stay  this  even- 
ing," said  Avery.    "  Is  Captain  Grayson  about  ?  " 

"  In  the  field,  showing  the  negroes  how  to  do  a 
day's  work." 

"  I  rather  expected  to  see  him,  and  hoped  he 
would  be  present  to  hear  the  statement  I  want  to 
make  to  you  and  Miss  Grayson  regarding  the 
remarks  of  Mr.  Nelson  yesterday.  Did  you  think 
he  referred  to  me  in  any  way  ?  " 

316 


An  Explanation  317 

"For  myself,  Captain  Avery,  I  could  not 
understand  what  Anton  meant.  It  did  not  seem 
possible  that  you  could  have  been  alluded  to,  so 
I  just  gave  the  whole  matter  up.  As  for  the 
other  persons  referred  to  —  well,  that  is  nothing." 

"I  was  making  every  effort  possible  to  secure 
the  release  of  your  son  and  Lieutenant  Lewis;  but 
I  wanted  the  discharge  to  come  from  those  who 
had  started  the  disgrace;  they  ought  to  have  been 
forced  to  let  the  young  men  go.  I  thought  it 
could  be  done,  and  was  working  to  get  the  local 
officers  into  such  a  corner  that  they  would  have  to 
lie  down.  They  were  working  to  checkmate  me; 
and  by  superior  cheek,  beat  me;  although  I  had 
them  pretty  well  tied  up  when  Mr.  Nelson  came 
in  with  the  much-sought  document." 

' '  We  are  grateful  for  every  honest  effort  made 
in  our  behalf.  The  effort,  not  the  result,  ought 
to  measure  our  gratitude,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

' '  I  did  not  know  that  Mr.  Nelson  was  doing 
anything  in  the  case,"  said  Avery. 

' '  Nor  did  we,  until  he  burst  into  our  presence 
with  the  papers  in  his  hand.  But  that  is  Anton's 
way;  he  never  advertises  his  benefactions,  al- 
though his  life  has  been  full  of  them." 

' '  But  I  am  disappointed  at  not  having  whipped 
those  Kosciusko  officers.  I  did  n't  want  them  to 
give  up  voluntarily;  I  wanted  to  drive  them  to  do 
it.  Had  I  known  that  Mr.  Nelson  was  at  work 
on  the  case,  I  might  have  joined  forces  with  him 
to  good  results.  As  it  was,  I  fear  we  were  work- 
ing at  cross-purposes,  without  either  of  us  know- 
ing it." 

' '  We  appreciate  your  efforts,  Captain  Avery, 


318  In  the  Wake  of  War 

and  believe  them  sincere, ' '  said  Mary  Lou.  ' '  And 
I  appreciate  your  desire  to  annihilate  your  polit- 
ical associates.  They  seemed  to  think  yesterday, 
after  all  was  over,  that  you  were  somewhat  under 
a  cloud,  and  manifested  much  satisfaction.  They 
are  strange  persons." 

"  I  know  they  did;  and  I  feared  that  you  would 
misunderstand  my  position.  But  the  same  splen- 
did generosity  that  has  excused  every  act  of  my 
official  and  personal  stupidity  is  still  extended. 
Is  there  no  limit  to  it.  Colonel  Grayson?" 
Avery  had  prepared  this  speech  with  great  care, 
and  felt  easier  after  he  had  delivered  himself 
of  it. 

"You  flatter  us.  Captain  Avery,"  Colonel 
Grayson  answered,  quickly.  "It  is  the  time- 
honored  custom  of  the  Southern  people  both  to 
make  and  to  break  friendships  slowly.  You  are 
simply  the  creature  of  our  custom.  That  you 
like  it,  is  another  evidence  of  your  good  taste, 
and  of  our  discretion  in  taking  you  into  our  good 
graces.  Daughter,  can  not  you  persuade  Captain 
Avery  to  share  our  snack  ?  " 

' '  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  do  so ;  and  if  he  is 
in  a  hurry,  I  will  go  to  the  kitchen  and  help. 
Howard  will  be  disappointed  if  he  does  not  see 
you.  Captain  Avery." 

"You  are  very  kind;  but  I  must  return  to 
town  at  once,"  said  Avery,  looking  at  his  watch. 

"  Always  in  a  hurry  !  "  sighed  Mary  Lou,  with 
mock  gravity. 

"Not  to  go  from  this  house.  How  we  are 
misunderstood  !  I  have  taken  weeks  from  duty, 
to  sit  in  the  light  of  your  smile." 


An  Explanation  319 

"Have  you  all  that  time  charged  up  against 
me?  "  asked  Mary  Lou. 

"At  regular  wages  —  one  dollar  per  day." 

"  Oh,  Father,  we  are  banki-upt !  Did  you  ever 
see  such  greed  ?  Oh,  these  Yankees,  these  Yan- 
kees !  I  reckon  you  will  give  the  claim  to  your 
Brother  Streeter  for  collection  ?  " 

"I  would  love  to  collect  it  myself." 

"What  shall  I  say.  Father?  I  can't  pay, 
I " 

"You  had  better  repudiate,"  suggested  Colonel 
Grayson. 

"Oh,  yes,  that's  the  word.  I  repudiate,  Cap- 
tain Avery.     Will  you  stay  to  supper,  now  ?  " 

"Thank  you,  again,  I  must  leave  this  minute. 
I  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  pressing  my  claim 
at  some  later  day." 

"I  repudiate,  I  warn  you.  I 've  learned  a  new 
word,  and  shall  use  it." 


XXIX 

Which  Shows  That  Although    the    Ethiopian  Can 

NOT  Change  His  Skin,  the  Caucasian  May 

Change  His  Color 

ON  their  way  home  from  the  fire,  Howard  asked 
Pleas  about  the  character  of  the  speeches  he 
was  hearing  at  the  League;  the  negro  liad  resumed 
his  membership  with  the  organization  and  was  a 
regular  attendant  on  its  meetings. 

"I  caint  tell  yo'  nothin',  Mars  Howard;  I  is 
swore  to  keep  secrets.  But  hit  am  my  'pinion 
mo'  houses  be  bu'nt;  dat  am  my  'pinion,  suh." 

"  I  don't  ask  you  to  break  your  oath  of  secrecy, 
Pleas,  but  we  ought  to  know  what  is  being  plotted 
against  us.  Of  course  you  are  watching,  but  how 
can  I  find  out,  for  sure  ? ' ' 

"Asy  'nough,  if  yo'  was  a  nigger,"  answered 
Pleas,  curiously 

"  But  I  am  mighty  near  white,  especially  since 
I  was  in  jail." 

"Caint  yo'  black  up?"  asked  Pleas.  "Yo' 
useter  play  de  nigger." 

"  Can  you  pass  me  in,  if  I  do  ?  " 

"  Mebbe." 

"How,  boy?  " 

"  I  tole  de  outen  guard  I  bring  a  frien'  to-mor- 
rer  evenin',"  answered  Pleas,  easily. 

"  Will  you  give  me  the  signs  and  pass- words?  " 

' '  Naw,  suh.  Mars  Howard ;  I  swore  to  keep 
secrets. ' ' 

320 


The  Caucasian  May  Change  His  Color        321 

"  How  can  I  get  in,  then  ?  " 

Pleas  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then  he  said: 
"  Yo'  gits  Miss  Mary  Lou  to  paint  yo';  paint  yo' 
face,  an'  han's,  an'  arms,  an'  ears,  an  naick,  all 
brown  —  yo'  be  brown-skin  nigger.  Yas,  suh,  a 
brown-skin  nigger.  Den  yo'  gits  de  pass-wu'd, 
raebbe. ' ' 

"  When  is  all  this  to  be  done.  Pleas  ?  " 

"  To-morrer  evenin',  right  soon  arfter  da'k. 
Yo'  gits  shet  of  Mars  Rodeny;  Miss  Mary  Lou 
paints  yo'." 

A  negro  man  had  arrived  at  Elmington  the  next 
morning  after  Pleas  had  made  his  reappearance. 
He  was  introduced  by  the  latter  as  a  friend  from 
Arkansas,  and  was  so  received,  although  there 
were  plenty  of  reasons  to  doubt  that  Pleas  had 
crossed  the  Mississippi  River  during  his  absence. 
This  stranger  made  himself  at  home;  helped  about 
the  little  jobs  of  rebuilding  with  which  the  old 
servant  puttered;  came  and  went  as  if  he  had  been 
born  and  brought  up  on  the  plantation. 

The  next  evening,  Howard  complained  of  being 
tired,  and  when  supper  was  over,  made  an  excuse 
that  sent  Colonel  Grayson  to  Mr.  Dodge's  to 
borrow  some  trifling  article  for  the  work. 

The  blackening  of  Howard's  face,  hands,  and 
arms  was  soon  finished;  and  as  it  was  now  quite 
dark  he  made  straight  to  Pleas's  cabin,  for  the 
negro  had  abandoned  his  room  in  the  house,  and 
had  patched  up  a  cabin  in  the  quarters,  on  the 
advent  of  his  friend.  Howard  gave  five  knocks 
on  the  door,  as  he  had  been  instructed  to  do.  A 
voice  from  within  said:  "  Hark  yo',  Pleas;  a  brud- 
der  knock."   Then  it  called  out:  "  For'd,  brudder, 


322  In  the  Wake  of  War 

an'  give  de  pass-wu'd."  But  Pleas  opened  the 
door  carelessly,  and  said:  "Evenin',  brudder 
Sam.     How  is  yo'  dis  evenin'  ?  " 

"  Tol'able,  thank  yo',"  answered  the  blackened 
man  from  the  shadow. 

"  Come  in,  brudder  Sam.  How  is  yo,  folks;  I 
heard  dey  was  ailin'  ?  ' ' 

"  Mis'able,  br'er  Pleas,  jes'  mis'able, "  an- 
swered Howard,  stepping  inside.  "  My  ole  woman 
am  jes'  seek;  not  zactly  bed-seek,  but  ailin'  an' 
mis^able.      Caint  eat  nothin'  but  spoon- victuals." 

"Mighty  bad,"  said  Pleas,  sympathetically. 

"  Brudder  Eli,  from  Arkansas,"  he  continued  by 
way  of  introduction.  They  bowed,  said  "even- 
in',"  and  shook  hands.  Howard  noticed  a  pecul- 
iar pressure  of  the  hand,  and  returned  it.  Tlie 
stranger  seemed  not  the  least  embarrassed,  and 
began  to  talk  volubly  about  the  League. 

"We  tuck  a  drap,  brudder  Sam;  hevone?" 
said  Pleas,  holding  up  a  jug,  at  which  Howard 
understood  the  free  and  easy  behavior  of  the  man 
from  Arkansas. 

'  Thank  yo',  br'er  Pleas,  doan  min'.  Mighty 
proud  if  my  ole  woman  hed  dis  liquor.  Do  her 
a  power  o'  good.  I  is  mightily  fear'd  she  die 
out." 

Pleas  gave  his  friend  from  Arkansas  a  big 
drink,  and  sat  the  jug  by  his  side.  The  room 
was  almost  dark;  a  few  coals  smouldering  in  the 
chimney,  where  the  negroes  had  cooked  their 
supper,  gave  just  light  enough  so  that  Eli  could 
see  the  jug.  Little  was  said  for  some  minutes, 
but  the  member  from  Arkansas  took  several 
drinks. 


The  Caucasian  May  Change  His  Color       323 

"I  mus'  go  to  de  stable,  gen'lemen,"  said 
Pleas,  when  his  friend  had  reached  a  condition 
suitable  to  his  plan.  "  Brudder  Eli,  'struct  brudder 
Sam  in  de  pass-wu'd,  'ginst  I  come  back.  He 
go  'long  dis  evenin'." 

Eli  was  mellow  and  confidential,  and  was  fast 
approaching  a  maudlin  state.  Not  content  with 
repeating  the  pass-word  a  score  of  times,  he  held 
Howard's  hand  with  the  grip  of  the  order,  until 
the  effect  of  the  liquor  caused  his  muscles  to  relax. 
He  worked  heroically,  went  through  the  ceremony 
of  initiation,  opening,  closing,  and  installation. 
By  the  time  Pleas  returned,  the  member  from 
Arkansas  was  mumbling  the  pass-word,  but  could 
not  raise  the  jug  to  his  mouth. 

"Come,  brudder  Eli,"  cried  Pleas,  "we  mus' 
be  goan  ."  But  Eli  only  struggled  to  give  the 
pass-word  again;    he  could  not  move. 

"We  puts  him  to  baid,"  said  Pleas,  beginning 
to  undress  the  drunken  negro. 

"This  is  not  right,  Pleas,"  said  Howard,  for- 
getting his  disguise,  and  thinking  only  of  the  trick. 

"Dat's  what  I  tells  'im.  De  fool  nigger  git 
drunk  err  time  liquor  am  'roun'.  Looks  like  he 
caint  leave  hit  be."  And  Pleas  rolled  the  insen- 
sible negro  into  the  bed. 

"  Git  into  dese  pants  an'  overcoat,  right  quick. " 
Howard  responded  with  great  energy. 

"Won't  he  come  to,  Pleas?"  asked  Howard, 
anxiously. 

"Not  fo'  a  week;  dat  am  sutler's  whisky, 
brudder  Sam.  One  dram  dat  liquor  good  fo'  fo' 
drunks.  Now  we  go."  Pleas  stopped  suddenly. 
"  Yo'  knows  de  pass-wu'd  ?  "  he  asked. 


324  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"  Yes,  Pleas." 

"  I  nerr  tole  yo' ?  " 

"No." 

Howard  put  his  hand  into  a  pocket  of  the  trous- 
ers and  pulled  out  something.  He  held  it  before 
the  dying  embers. 

"  Fo'  de  Lawd  !  "  cried  Pleas,  "a  rabbit's  foot! 
Jaub  hit  back  in  yo'  pocket,  briidder  Sam;  we  go 
clean  through  dis  evenin',  an'  no  mistake.  Yo' 
am  brudder  Eli,  now;  not  brudder  Sam.  Nerr 
was  Sam  ;  always  Eli.  Eli,  from  Arkansas. 
Wasn't  yo',  Eli?  "  said  Pleas. 

"I  reckons  I  was,  br'er  Pleas,"  Howard  an- 
swered. 


XXX 

What  Eli  Saw  and  Heard 

WHEN  they  reached  the  place  where  the  regu- 
lar weekly  meetings  of  the  League  were  held, 
a  large  schoolhouse  on  the  outskirts  of  Kosciusko, 
they  were  met  several  yards  from  the  entrance  by 
pickets  who  demanded  the  pass-word.  Howard 
whispered  it  in  the  ear  of  the  negro  outpost,  gave 
him  the  grip,  and  passed  on  with  Fleas.  At  the 
door  they  were  challenged  again,  and  the  perform- 
ance was  repeated. 

Inside  the  room  was  a  large  crowd,  although 
the  hour  was  rather  early.  Nearly  all  were 
negroes.  A  few  white  men  jostled  about  in  the 
gathering,  talking,  shaking  hands,  and  playing  the 
agreeable  with  their  colored  brethren.  Prominent 
among  these  was  Felix  Grayson.  But  the  parson 
never  would  have  recognized  the  round-shoul- 
dered, shy,  black  man,  dressed  in  an  old  Federal 
uniform,  and  wearing  a  bandage  over  his  left  eye, 
as  his  nephew. 

Pleas  led  the  way  into  a  far  corner  and  gave 
Howard  the  advantage  of  the  darkest  place. 
This  precaution  was  hardly  necessary,  for  the 
room  was  lighted  by  a  tallow  candle  on  the  speak- 
er's table,  at  the  front  end,  near  the  door;  its 
faint  rays  scarcely  penetrated  to  where  they  sat. 
There  was  a  great  hubbub;  negroes  were  pushing 
and  hauling  each  other,  talking  loudly  and  laugh- 
ing boisterously. 

825 


326  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Presently,  a  big  black  man  rapped  for  order, 
and  reasonable  quiet  prevailed.  All  that  could 
be  accommodated  on  the  benches  and  chairs,  sat; 
others  stood  up  around  the  wall.  This  was  a 
further  advantage  to  Howard,  for  a  negro  stood 
between  him  and  the  flaring  candle,  rendering  his 
position  quite  dark, 

Felix  Grayson  was  asked  to  open  the  moeting 
with  prayer.  He  responded  in  a  wordy  appeal  to 
Divine  autocracy  for  assistance  in  scourging  the 
native  white  man  from  the  South,  that  the  black 
brother  might  occupy  it  in  peace.  In  conclusion 
he  said:  ''Even  as  Thou  didst  sustain  the  Chil- 
dren of  Israel,  after  Thou  hadst  delivered  them 
from  bondage  in  Egypt,  to  make  war  on  and 
drive  out  the  Canaanites  from  the  Promised 
Land."  The  "  Amens "  and  other  evidences  of 
approval  that  followed  this  invocation  were  deaf- 
ening; they  showed  to  the  one  interested  specta- 
tor that  his  uncle  had  made  a  strong  impression 
on  the  audience.  Pleas  evidently  took  to  another 
opinion,  for  he  whispered:  "  Pa'son  pray  dat 
same  way  err  evenin';  but  I  doan  see  de  Lawd 
a-comin'. " 

The  routine  work  of  the  society  was  then  per- 
formed with  fair  precision;  this  was  followed  by 
an  open  order  in  which  speeches  v/ere  made.  It 
looked  as  if  one-half  of  the  negroes  present  were 
determined  to  be  heard,  and  all  at  once.  They 
stood  on  benches,  shouting  and  gesticulating. 
They  cursed  the  chairman,  cursed  each  other,  and 
seemed  on  the  verge  of  a  general  knock-dov/n. 
This  performance  lasted  for  half  an  hour,  and 
when  the  froth  had  escaped,  some   of   the   more 


What  Eli  Saw  and  Heard  327 

sober  heads  gained  the  attention  of  the  presiding 
officer  and  spoke.  Several  of  them  referred  to 
the  biTrning  of  Mr.  Sutton's  house  as  a  warning  to 
the  white  folks.  One  quoted  from  a  speech  that 
had  been  made  at  a  previous  meeting  by  a  white 
man,  who,  Pleas  said,  was  a  travelling  peddler. 
This  man  imparted  the  information  that  ' '  matches 
were  only  five  cents  a  box. ' '  The  repetition  of 
this  menace  called  forth  cheers  and  hisses  —  the 
house  was  divided  —  for  the  more  rational  negroes 
had  seen  the  effect  of  the  threat  and  plainly  dep- 
recated it. 

As  the  session  drew  to  a  close,  Felix  arose  and 
announced  an  important  meeting  of  the  "  Inner 
Circle,"  urging  those  present  who  belonged  to  it 
to  remain.  Howard  gave  to  Pleas  an  enquiring 
look;  the  latter  turned  his  face  to  the  ceiling  and 
then  nodded  his  head.  Howard  looked  upward; 
directly  above  where  they  were  sitting  was  a 
square  opening  in  the  attic,  not  more  than  eight 
feet  from  the  floor.  "  Asy  'nough,  brudder  Eli; 
yas,  suh,"   Pleas  said,  aloud. 

The  negroes  were  now  moving  toward  the  door, 
in  anticipation  of  the  closing  of  the  meeting,  but 
Howard  and  Pleas  sat  quietly.  When  the  chair- 
man announced  the  adjournment,  Pleas  stepped 
quickly  to  a  little  yellow  negro,  whom  Howard 
recognized  as  the  mischievous  son  of  Aunt  Har- 
riet, whispered  in  his  ear,  nudged  him  in  the  side, 
and  laughed.  The  boy  shot  through  the  crowd 
toward  the  table;  in  an  instant  the  candle  was 
out,  and  the  surging  mass  was  shouting,  laughing 
and  cursing. 

After  inciting  this  mischief.  Pleas  was  back  in  a 


328  In  the  Wake  of  War 

flash,  and  whispered :  "Come,  quick,  brudderEli !  " 
And  grasping  Howard  in  his  arms  as  if  he  were 
yet  a  child,  the  burly  negro  lifted  him  from  the 
floor  and  held  him  aloft.  Although  astonished  by 
the  wonderful  sagacity  of  his  servant,  the  young 
man  did  not  neglect  to  find  the  scuttle  hole, 
quickly  draw  himself  through  and  lie  down  on  the 
loose  planks  that  formed  the  floor  of  the  attic. 
Before  the  light  was  made.  Pleas  had  elbowed 
his  way  toward  the  door  and  was  lost  in  the 
crowd.  Outside  there  was  a  great  disturbance: 
singing,  shouting,  cursing,  and  tiring  of  pistols. 
Before  the  noise  subsided,  Howard  adjusted  him- 
self to  the  rough  floor,  and  as  soon  as  there  was 
a  light,  moved  so  that  he  could  watch  the  pro- 
ceedings through  a  huge  crack. 

All  left  the  house  but  Felix  and  two  negroes. 
Presently,  Sheriff  Streeter  appeared;  he  was  soon 
followed  by  the  agent  for  the  Freedmen's  Bureau, 
Bragg;  Provost-Marshal  Samson,  Squire  Witan, 
and  the  Clerk  of  the  County.  "  To  your  stations, 
guards,""  commanded  Mr.  Bragg;  the  two  negroes 
went  outside.  Another  candle  was  produced  and 
lighted;  Mr.  Bragg  took  the  chair  and  called  for 
order. 

' '  Mr.  Clerk,  please  read  your  report, ' '  said 
the  chairman. 

The  clerk  read  from  a  pass-book  that  he  took 
from  his  pocket:  "Collected  from  marriage  li- 
censes, one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars;  thirty 
dollars  from  new,  ninety  dollars  from  re-marriages 
—  all  niggers.  Ninety  dollars  to  divide."  And 
he  read  off  the  names  of  about  fifty  couples,  who, 
like    Uncle    Phil    and    Aunt    Manda,    had    been 


What  Eli  Saw  and  Heard  329 

adjudged  by  the  Business  Administration  to  be 
illegally  wedded.  The  fees  collected  in  these 
cases  ranged  from  twenty-five  cents  to  four  dol- 
lars, each.     Anything  and  all  they  could  get. 

"Anything  else?"  asked  the  chairman. 

"  Peddler's  licenses,  two  hundred  dollars.  The 
law  calls  for  ten  dollars  in  each  instance;  eight 
licenses  at  ten  dollars  each,  eighty  dollars;  but  I 
got  twenty-five  dollars  each,  two  hundred  dollars 
—  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  divide.  Cases  dis- 
missed by  me,  three;  costs  collected  on  them, 
two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  dollars  —  one  hun- 
dred and  fifteen,  seventy-fiv^e,  and  forty-nine,  jast 
as  I  could  catch  'em.  That 's  all,  Mr.  Chair- 
man. Ninety,  one  hundred  and  twenty,  and  two 
hundred  and  thirty-nine,  makes  four  hundred  and 
forty-nine;  pretty  good  week."  They  all  assented 
to  the  concluding  statement  of  the  clerk. 

"  Very  good,  but  we  must  manage  to  sell  more 
licenses.  Lawyers,  doctors,  dentists,  preachers, 
school-teachers,  and  a  lot  more  ought  to  pay  for 
their  privileges,"  said  the  chairman. 

"Have  to  get  a  new  statute,  I  guess,"  put  in 
the  clerk, 

"We  will  look  out  for  that  later.  Sheriff 
Streeter,   what  have  you  to  offer?" 

"Settled  twenty-three  cases;  got  three  hundred 
and  ninety-six  dollars  and  fifty-seven  cents," 
answered  the  sheriff. 

"Did  any  of  those  twenty-three  fellows  carry 
anything  away?"  asked  the  chairman. 

"Not  a  cent,  brethren,"  said  the  sheriff,  mak- 
ing grim  facial  distortions.  "That  fifty-seven 
cents  item,"  be  continued,  "was  from  a  widow- 


330  In  the  Wake  of  War 

woman.  She  had  living  with  her  an  old  nigger 
wench  about  a  hundred  years  old;  I  caught  the 
old  woman  gathering  firewood,  and  took  them 
in.  Well,  the  poor  woman  had  only  fifty-seven 
cents  in  money  and  a  pailful  of  tears,  so  Judge 
Witan  and  I  let  her  ofl'  with  that."  Howard 
looked  at  Felix's  face  during  this  recital;  it 
showed  full  appreciation  of   the  sheriffs  humor. 

"Squire  Witan,"  called  the  chairman. 

"I  doan  reckon  I  hev  anything  to  say,  please 
yore  honor,"  answered  the  nuigistrate.  "I  an' 
Sheriff  Streeter  is  podners  —  we  wucks  tergether, 
han'  in  han'.  I  taxes  the  cos',  an'  he  gits  the 
money;  so,  in  reason,  I  am  'titled  to  half  the 
credit  on  his  report.  Thet  widder-woman  felt 
powerfu'  bad,  an'  I  almos'  got  sorry  fo'  her;  but 
we  got  the  money  jest  the  same."  There  was  a 
general  laugh  at  the  squire's  rehash  of  the  sher- 
iff's joke. 

"Mr.  Samson,  what  can  you  tell  us  about  your- 
self ?  "  asked  the  chairman. 

"  I  have  no  money  to  divide,  Mr.  Chairman, 
but  my  work  helps  the  good  cause  along.  Every 
Rebel  in  this  section  of  the  country  has  taken  the 
oath  of  allegiance,  or  I  know  the  reason  why.  I 
keep  after  them  in  spite  of  Avery,  and  this  nag- 
ging keeps  them  mellow.  They  are  getting  so 
that  they  don't  want  any  truck  with  us,  and  pay 
assessments  without  asking  questions.  My  depart- 
ment is  keeping  up  its  end."  A  smile  of  assent 
was  visible  on  every  countenance,  and  Howard, 
in  the  attic,  made  mental  acknowledgment  of 
the  force  of  the  Marshal's  argument. 

"We  appreciate  your  services,    Brother    Sam- 


What  Eli  Saw  and  Heard  331 

son.  United  effort  is  what  tells  in  politics,"  said 
the  chairman.  "  Now  for  my  department:  I  have 
revised  one  hundred  and  three  labor  contracts,  for 
which  I  have  received  eight  hundred  and  forty- 
three  dollars."  And  the  chairman  straightened 
himself  proudly,  as  he  threw  down  the  account 
book.  "Here  are  the  names.  Our  agents  and 
spies  have  reported  more  than  sixty  plantations 
on  which  there  has  yet  been  no  strike.  Tell  us 
what  progress  you  are  making,  Brother  Grayson, 
toward  getting  the  niggers  on  these  places  sick?  " 

"There  will  be  a  strike  on  each  of  a  dozen 
places  to-morrow,  and  others  will  follow  fast 
enough.  I  shall  arrange  for  this  later  to-night; 
everything  is  going  well, "  answered  the  parson, 
in  the  most  matter-of-fact  manner. 

' '  Have  all  of  you  seen  the  Governor's  new 
proclamation?"  asked  Streeter. 

"What's  it  about  ?"  enquired    the    chairman. 

"  In  effect  that  troops,  meaning  County  Guards 
and  negro  militia,  will  not  be  punished  for  any- 
thing they  do  to  Rebels. ' ' 

"Not  bad  for  us,"  said  Samson. 

"Well,  brethren,  we  will  divide  the  receipts  of 
the  week,"  said  Mr.  Bragg.  "  Fourteen  hundred 
eight-eight  dollars  and  fifty-seven  cents,  is  that 
right,  Brother  Grayson  ?  " 

"Check,"  answered  Felix. 

"Anybody  in  on  this,  except  ourselves?" 
asked  Mr.  Bragg. 

"Doan  fo'git  the  Jedge  of  the  Circuit  Cote, 
Brother  Bragg,  "  put  in  Squire  Witan. 

"Nor  the  Attorney-General,"  admonished 
Streeter. 


332  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Each  person  received  his  share  by  a  fixed  scale; 
the  Agent  of  the  Freednien's  Bureau  took  for 
himself  thirty    per    cent    of   the    total. 

"Now,  brethren,  we  can  talk  better,"  said  Mr. 
Bragg,  "for  each  has  good  money  in  his  pocket. 
There  are  several  things  that  ought  to  be  consid- 
ered. We  are  doing  pretty  well;  but  we  ought 
to  be  doing  ten  times  better.  Look  at  this  rich 
county,  and  then  think  of  our  possibilities!  Other 
offices  must  be  made  productive;  more  privileges 
must  be  paid  for;  contracts  ought  to  be  let.  There 
is  practically  no  limit  to  our  opportunities.  Beats 
preaching,  do  n't  it.  Brothers  Streeter  and  Gray- 
son ?  " 

"  I  like  it  better,"  answered  the  sheriff,  his  face 
going  wrong  in  every  feature. 

"I  feel  that  I  am  still  doing  God's  service," 
said  Felix,  piously. 

"  '  God  helps  him  who  helps  himself,'  is  a  safe 
and  holy  maxim,  in  my  opinion,"  said  the  chair- 
man. "So,  if  we  want  to  get  the  full  benefit  of 
Divine  assistance,  wo  must  help  ourselves  a  little 
more.  Thei-e  are  a  tliousand  ways  of  turning 
money  that  we  have  not  thought  of  yet.  In  the 
meantime,  do  n't  stop  deviling  the  Rebels.  As 
Brother  Samson  says,  this  pestering  keeps  them 
mellow.  Another  fire  would  n't  hurt.  Why,  a 
committee  of  these  Johnnies  came  to-day  to  see 
me  about  keeping  the  niggers  in  at  night.  They 
will  pay  us  for  that,  yet.  As  soon  as  I  have  gone 
over  the  contracts,  we  will  have  another  strike  all 
around.  Ought  to  have  four  or  five  before  cotton 
is  picked.  I  believe  we  can  manage  to  keep  these 
fellows  shelling  out  money  the  balance  of  the 
year." 


What  Eli  Saw  and  Heard  333 

"But,  Brother  Bragg,  don't  you  think  this  sort 
of  thing  will  eventually  make  us  enemies  ?  "  asked 
Streeter. 

"  What  do  we  care  for  enemies  ?  " 

"I  mean,  in  the  North,  Won't  the  North 
hear  of  this  persecution  and  withdraw  its  sup- 
port ?  " 

"Not  while  we  have  the  newspaper  men  on 
our  side.  The  word  has  been  passed  up  and 
down  the  line:  'Take  care  of  the  newspaper 
man.'  Our  correspondent  is  all  right.  He  sent 
off  to-day  a  fresh  batch  about  southern  outrages. 
We  have  nothing  to  fear  from  that  quarter. "  And 
Mr.  Bragg  dismissed  the  matter  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand. 

"How  about  election,  Mi-.  Chairman?"  asked 
the  sheriff,  who  liked  his  job  well. 

"We  will  discuss  that  at  a  later  meeting. 
Election  does  not  come  until  the  middle  of 
August,  and  we  shall  have  lots  of  time.  More 
money  is  the  question  now.  Our  officers  are 
doing  well  ;  all  we  shall  have  to  consider  is  the 
legislative  ticket.  We  must  send  men  to  Nash- 
ville who  will  give  us  more  privileges.  We  must 
levy  more  taxes,  and  sell  more  licenses.  Then 
contracts  !  New  bridges,  new  roads,  perhaps 
railroads!  There  is  no  limit,  gentlemen  !  "  and 
the  chairman  became  enthusiastic  over  the  pros- 
pect.     "Is  there  anything  more,   brethren?" 

"  I  have  a  secret  meeting  to  attend,  as  soon  as 
this  adjourns,"  said  Felix. 

"Then  we  stand  adjourned  for  a  week;  and 
during  that  time  let's  keep  things  stirred  up — ■ 
make  some  things  hot.  Brother  Grayson." 


XXXI 

The  Secret  Conclave 

THE  lights  were  blown  out;  those  who  had  par- 
ticipated in  the  profitable  session  of  the 
"Inner  Circle"  left  the  room,  one  by  one. 
Howard  sat  upright  and  stretched  his  arms  and 
legs;  the  position  and  quiet  in  M^hich  he  had  been 
compelled  to  lie  for  an  hour,  had  filled  his  mus- 
cles with  aches  and  cramps.  He  waited,  expect- 
ing to  hear  the  four  knocks,  Pleas' s  signal  for 
him  to    come  down. 

Instead  of  the  knocks  on  the  door,  he  heard  it 
open  with  a  creak  and  some  person  tiptoe  into  the 
room;  presently  another  followed,  closing  the 
entrance.  A  whispered  consultation,  and  one 
of  the  persons  below  went  noiselessly  to  the  door 
and  opened  it.  A  husky  voice  from  the  outside 
asked,    "Who's  here?  " 

"Come  in,  come  in!"  said  a  voice,  which 
Howard  recognized  as  his  Uncle  Felix's. 

"Is  Streeter  here?  " 

"Yes,  Brother  Samson,"  answered  the  sheriff. 

"  Sha'n't  we  have  a  light  ?  " 

"Not  yet,"  said  Felix,  beginning  to  sing, 
"Watchman,  tell  us  of  the  Night,"  sotto  voce. 
The  other  two  discussed  the  burning  of  Mr. 
Sutton's  house,  even  to  the  details  of  the  kin- 
dling. This  was  soon  interrupted,  for  the  door 
opened. 

"  Who 's  there  ?  "  demanded  Samson,  gruffly. 

334 


The  Secret  Conclave  335 

"I  is,  Brudder  Christopher,"  answered  the 
unmistakable  voice  of  a  negro  woman.  "Come 
ahaid,  Sister  Edg'ton  an'  'Liza,"  she  called  to 
the  darkness.  Three  women  stumbled  into  the 
room. 

"  Shall  we  have  no  light  ?  "  asked  a  woman. 

"  Certainlj^,  if  some  one  has  a  five-cents-a-box 
match,"  said  Felix. 

"  Doan  need  no  can'le  to  fin'  me;  I  is  n't  no 
black  warnut."  This  humorous  sallj  was  quickly 
followed  by  the  scratching  of  a  match,  and  one  of 
the  candles  was  lighted. 

The  light  revealed  Miss  Edgerton,  the  teacher 
in  the  negro  school,  and  two  yellow  negresses. 
The  six  persons  were  paired  oft"  like  lovers  on 
a  picnic. 

"Now  to  business,"  said  Felix. 

"I  doan  love  dis  can'le;  puff  hit  out,  Sister 
Edg'ton,"  cried  the  big  wench  that  Sheriff 
Streeter  had  drawn  in  this  strange    lottery. 

"Not  now,  Sister  Maria;  Mr.  Grayson  has 
some  business  to  talk  over,"  said  Miss  Edgerton, 
with  the  superior  air  of  a  school-ma'am. 

"Go  ahaid,  Brudder  Grayson;  I  is  lis'nin'," 
and  Maria  snuggled  close  up  to  the  sheriff,  who 
was  visibly  embarrassed. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  James,  the  colored 
man  that  used  to  belong  to  Mr.  Saunders,  Sister 
Maria  ?  ' '  asked  Felix. 

' '  Dat  black  nigger  ?  ' ' 

"  Yes,  he  's  black  enough." 

' '  Lame  in  one  laig  ? ' ' 

' '  Guess  he  is  lame, ' '  answered  Felix. 

"ToPablegood." 


336  In  the  Wake  of  War 

' '  Will  he  go  out  nights,  alone  ?  ' ' 

"Naw,  suh;  hefear'd." 

"What  is  he  afraid  of?" 

"Ha'nts, "  answered  Maria,  seriously. 

"Do  you  know  of  any  colored  brothers  that 
will  go  alone  ?  " 

"Indedark?" 

"Yes,  in  the  dark  and  alone,"  persisted 
Felix. 

"  Naw,    suh,    'cept  Pleas,  de  Gunnel's  man." 

"Can  we  get  him  though?" 

"  If  he  say  he  go,  he  go,"  said  Maria,  quickly. 

Howard  smiled,  and  muttered  to  himself,  "  It 's 
all  in  the  promising,  as  you  said,  Maria." 

"  Can  you  get  him  to  go.  Sister  Maria  ?  "  asked 
Felix. 

"I  doan  know.  Brudder  Streeter  won'  lemme 
try,  he  jalous  of  Pleas,  my  ole  sweetheart." 

"Go  on  now.  Sister  Maria,  that's  not  so," 
answered  Streeter,  greatly  embarrassed.  The 
others  laughed. 

"Hit  am  so,  an'  yo'  knows  hit." 

"Well,  we  better  drop  Pleas,  right  now.  He 
is  too  cunning,  and  too  loyal  to  Mr.  Howard. 
Whom  would  you  name.  Sister  'Liza  ? ' ' 

"No  pusson,  Brudder  Grayson,"  answered  the 
rather  good  looking  mulatto  who  sat  close  to 
Samson. 

"Don't  you  know  one?"  asked  Felix,  in 
despair. 

"Dat  nigger  nerr  was  bo'n'd." 

' '  We  can  not  send  two  together  any  more ;  the 
experiment  night  before  last  was  unsatisfactory. 
Two  may  get  caught. ' ' 


The  Secret  Conclave  337 

' '  You  're  not  going  to  have  any  more  fires,  are 
you,  my  dear?  "  asked  Miss  Edgerton. 

"We  have  no  fires,  my  dear  Minnie,"  said 
Felix,  quickly.  "  These  arrogant  Rebels  deserve 
it;  we  must  drive  them  out.  This  country  is  ours; 
our  people  have  earned  it.  You  admit  that,  yet 
you  oppose  the  measures  that  will  most  easily  and 
surely  produce  the  end.  If  their  houses  burn 
they  will  clear  out  at  once.  But  I  don  't  want  to 
burn  any  houses;  I  am  opposed  to  that  kind  of 
policy.  Now,  Maria  and  'Liza,  get  a  good  man 
or  two  for  a  night  job.  You  can  get  them  where 
I  couldn't,  and  when  you  have  the  men,  let 
Brother  Streeter  know  who  they  are."  One  could 
scarcely  tell  from  an  argument  with  the  young 
preacher,  which  side  of  the  proposition  he  was  on. 
After  this  harangue,  Miss  Edgerton  seemed  satis- 
fied, although  she  had  no  idea  whether  or  not 
Felix  was  then  guilty  of  arson,  and  was  planning 
another  fire.     Perhaps  she  did   not  care. 

"  Have  you  heard  from  those  fellows  who  are 
out  stirring  up  the  negroes  to  strike  ? ' '  asked  Felix, 
looking  at  Maria. 

"  Dat  man,  Aleck,  wua  'roun'  las'  evenin'," 

"Is  he  doing  his  duty  ?  " 

"I  reckons  he  am,"  answered  Maria,  knowingly. 

"  I  wish  he  would  come  and  see  me  sometimes." 

"I  tells  'im." 

"Now  there  is  just  one  thing  more,"  said 
Felix,  after  a  few  moments  of  silence,  ' '  we  must 
bring  down  the  false  pride  of  these  white  people. 
The  young  ladies  about  here  are  carrying  their 
heads  too  high;  they  are  exalting  themselves  too 
much.     What  say  you  to  that,  my  dear?"     He 

22 


338  IN  THE  Wake  of  War 

cared  nothing  for  their  pride,  but  this  was  the  pet 
hobby  of  Miss  Edgorton,  and  he  was  determined 
to  nse  with  her  such  arguments  as  would  keep  her 
in  line. 

"  I  know  what  the  Good  Book  says  about  those 
that  exalt  themselves,"  answered  Miss  Edgerton, 
"and  I  am  willing  to  be  an  instrument  in  the 
hand  of  God  to  help  to  abase  them.  Your  niece 
is  one  of  them.  She  don't  carry  so  high  a  head, 
but  she  walks  as  if  she  were  blind  —  pays  no 
attention  to  anybody.  I  must  admit,  though,  that 
in  her  own  house  she  is  as  gracious  as  a  queen. 
I  can't  understand  her,  and  I  don't  like  her." 

"She  say,  'howdy  M'ria, '  to  me  yistiddy," 
said   Maria,    proudly. 

"  Nothing  will  make  the  people  of  the  South 
hate  their  country  so  quickly  as  an  indignity  to 
their  ladies.  I  don't  mean  an  indecent  insult; 
just  a  little  jar  to  their  pride.  For  instance: 
Suppose  one  of  these  lordly  dames  was  walking 
down  the  street  to-morrow  morning,  sweeping  the 
whole  sidewalk  with  her  hoop-skirts;  two  burly 
colored  men  meet  her  and  refuse  to  give  way. 
What  would  the  lordly  dame  have  to  do?" 

Miss  Edgerton  looked  approvingly  at  her  dress- 
reform  habit,  and  answered:  "  Get  down  into  the 
gutter. ' ' 

"That  would  be  rather  humiliating,  wouldn't 
it,  Maria  ? ' '  asked  Felix. 

"Good  'nough  fo'  her,"  said  Maria,  fiercely. 

"  We  must  either  bring  them  to  their  senses  or 
get  them  out  of  the  country.  Their  pride  is  too 
deep-seated  to  be  changed,  so  they  will  have  to 
go.     Well,    it  is  rather  late,"   continued    Felix, 


The  Secret  Conclave  339 

yawning,  "and  we  had  best  adjourn  this  meet- 
ing." And  Streeter,  with  Maria  on  his  arm; 
Samson  and  'Liza;  Felix  and  Miss  Edgerton, 
walked  out  into  the    darkness. 

Howard  stretched  himself  vigorously,  for  the 
cramps  had  taken  possession  of  him  again;  these, 
with  the  self-repression  he  had  been  forced  to 
exercise,  had  kept  him  miserable  for  another 
hour. 

Foolish  as  these  conversations  sound  to  one  not 
wholly  familiar  with  the  conditions  then  prevail- 
ing in  the  South,  they  were  full  of  evil  to  Howard 
Grayson.  He  had  thought  there  was  plenty  of 
plotting;  but  it  never  had  occurred  to  him,  nor 
to  any  one  of  his  people,  that  there  was  such  a 
system.  Every  sentence  spoken  by  Felix  Grayson 
had  been  carefully  weighed,  and  the  intent  had 
not  miscarried.  Had  he  asked  two  negroes  to 
rnn  a  white  woman  from  the  sidewalk,  they  would 
have  refused;  yes,  and  more,  they  would  have 
told  of  his  proposal,  far  and  near.  Had  he 
approached  a  negro  with  a  proposition  to  burn  a 
house,  he  would  have  been  scandalized  within  the 
hour;  but  an  intimation  to  these  yellow  persons 
would  produce  the  results,  without  the  mention  of 
his  name. 

And  what  purpose  did  Streeter  and  Samson 
serve  ?  Merely  as  witnesses,  so  far  as  this  meet- 
ing was  concerned.  Their  relations  with  the  two 
negresses  were  their  own  affairs,  like  thousands  of 
other  similar  cases  of  the  period.  This  authentic 
history  is  not  concerned  in  such  personal  matters, 
except  as  they  drop  in  incidentally. 

Knowing   all    these    conditions,    realizing   the 


340  In  the  Wake  of  War 

certainty  of  a  terrific  harvest  from  the  seeds  so 
insidiously  planted,  Howard  had  gone  through  all 
the  stages  from  disgust  to  rage,  and  from  rage 
down  to  fear,  as  his  uncle  proceeded  to  develop  his 
plans.  The  silence  that  he  was  forced  to  preserve 
was  not  the  least  strain  to  his  nerves. 

He  was  so  deeply  entangled  in  the  nefarious 
plots  that  he  had  heard  laid  for  his  people,  that 
he  did  not  hear  the  four  knocks,  and  was  awak- 
ened only  when  Pleas  stuck  his  head  inside  the 
door  and  called,  "Eli."  Pleas  struck  a  match, 
and  Howard  quickly  let  himself  down  to  the  full 
length  of  his  arms  and  dropped,  but  the  faithful 
servant  caught  and  lowered  him  gently  to  the 
floor. 

They  hastened  from  the  building  and  made  off 
across  fields  for  home,  neither  speaking  a  word. 
When  they  reached  a  lonely  spot,  Howard  stopped 
and  said:  "  I  must  tell  you  all,  right  now;  I  must 
have  your  advice  before  going  another  step.  Oh, 
Pleas,  it  is  more  than  hellish!  " 

They  sat  down  on  the  ground  and  the  young 
man  related  every  word  that  he  had  heard.  Pleas 
listened  attentively,  only  interrupting  with  an 
occasional  exclamation,  like:  "Dat's  fine!" 
"Em-m,"  or  "Gawd  !  " 

"What  can  we  do?"  asked  Howard,  when  he 
finished. 

"  M'ria  tole  yo',"  answered  Pleas. 

"What  was  that?  " 

"Skeer  'em." 

"  Will  that  stop  this  deviltry  ?  " 

"  Mos'  of  hit.  Yo'  cain  skeer  dese  niggers 
plumb  to  death;  yo'  knows  dat.   Mars  Howard," 


The  Secret  Conclave  341 

answered  Pleas,  with  an  air  that  expressed  perfect 
satisfaction.  It  gave  to  Howard  more  than  a 
degree  of  confidence. 

"Let's  go  home,  boy.  Have  a  definite  scheme 
for  me  to-morrow;  tell  me  how  to  work  out  this 
'  skeering '  business. ' ' 

Howard  took  a  good  wash  at  the  Opal,  went 
home  and  to  bed  —  but  not  to  sleep  that  night. 
The  infamy  he  had  heard,  haunted  him.  Pleas's 
project  started  a  lively  play  of  fancy  that  had  not 
quieted  when  the  rising  sun  lighted  the  east. 


XXXII 

A  Mighty  Power  Comes,  but  Does  not  Appear 

YOU  came  in  tolerably  late  last  night?" 
asked  Colonel  Grayson  of  Howard  at  break- 
fast the  next  morning. 

"Tolerably  early  this  morning,  would  be  more 
like  it,  Father,"  ansv/ered  Howard. 

' '  These  are  bad  times  to  be  out  of  one's  bed 
after  night,"  said  the  Colonel. 

"1  was  trying  to  find  out  something  about 
these  bad  times,  and  the  trail  was  a  long  one." 

' '  You  were  not  alone  ? ' ' 

"No,  Father,  I  was  in  good,  safe  company," 

"  I  do  not  question  but  you  were  in  good  com- 
pany, my  son;  safe  company  would  be  hard  to 
find." 

"Fleas?" 

"The  very  safest  in  the  v;orld.  Did  you  dis- 
cover anything  worth  the  loss  of  sleep?  "  asked 
the  father. 

"I  think  so;  can't  tell  for  certain  before  mid- 
night. I  shall  be  out  again  to-night,  but  will 
carry  Pleas  along." 

"Then  you  would  best  to  take  a  little  rest 
after  dinner;  I  will  go  to  the  field  and  keep  the 
men  at  work." 

"Thank  you.  Father;  I  shall  need  to  lie  down 
a  bit.  I  used  to  do  without  sleep,  but  since  loaf- 
ing in  prison  for  nine  months  I  find  I  have  taken 
on  a  great  habit  for  yawm'ng, "  said  Howard. 

342 


A  fvliGHTY  Power  Comes  343 

After  dinner  he  sought  out  Fleas  for  a  little 
conference.  The  negro  was  pretending  to  work 
in  the  garden. 

"What  did  you  mean  last  night,  when  you 
said  we  could  scare  the  colored  people  to  stay 
home  ?  " 

"  Jes'  what  I  said,"  answered  Pleas,  promptly, 

"How  shall  we  do  it?  " 

"I  doan  know,  suh;  yo'  knows  bes'." 

"  What  shall  we  frighten  them  about  ?  " 

"Nauow,  Mars  Howard,  what  a  nigger  mos' 
feard  of?"  asked  Pleas,   curiously. 

"Ghosts?  " 

"Sperets, "  answered  Pleas,  triumphantly. 

"Oh,  I  understand.  I  will  talk  with  you 
about  it  to-night.  You  better  get  a  nap  and  be 
ready  to  go  out  with  me  soon  after  dark." 

"I  is  raidy;  I  doan  wan'  no  sleep,"  And 
Pleas  began  hoeing  vigorously  to  show  that  he 
was  not  sleepy. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  Bluff,  Howard  pick- 
eted Pleas  at  a  good  distance  from  the  meeting 
place  and  went  alone  to  the  rendezvous.  He  was 
the  last  to  arrive;  the  four  were  awaiting  him. 
For  a  time  they  sat  on  the  ground  talking  infor- 
mally, first  one  and  then  another.  To  Howard, 
who  realized  more  than  any  other  person  present, 
the  gravity  of  the  conditions  confronting  the  peo- 
ple of  the  South,  this  idle  talk  became  intolerable, 
and  he  spoke  up:  "Say,  boys,  we  are  making  no 
headway;  we  never  shall  do  any  good  this  way. 
I  move  that  Manning  Lewis  be  chosen  chairman, 
or  moderator  of  this  meeting,  and  that  each  of  us 
report  in  regular  order  what  he  knows." 


344  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"I  support  that  motion;  only  instead  of  calling 
him  chairman  or  moderator,   I  move  that  he  be 

the the well,     Grand    Cyclops,""    said 

Morton  Seymour;  he  seldom  took  anything  seri- 
ously. 

The  motion  was  put  and  carried. 

"  Now,  brethren " 

"Hush!''  They  all  cried  together.  "This 
is  no  branch  of  the  Union  League," 

"  That  noise  you-all  made  right  now  sounds  like 
it,  from  all  accounts,"  said  Manning.  "Well, 
the  Cyclops  can  make  no  mistake;  he  was  trying 
to  see  what  kind  of  persons  he  was  dealing  with. 
What's  the  order  of  business?  " 

' '  I  suggest  that  each  of  us  make  a  report  of 
what  he  has  learned,"  said  Howard. 

"A  tolerable  suggestion,  Mr.  Grayson.  Will 
the  Khan  of  Watery  Fork  arise,  salute,  and 
reveal  ?  " 

Morton  Seymour,  whose  paternal  home  was 
situated  along  the  creek  named,  arose,  made 
a  profound  salaam  before  the  chairman,  and 
reported  as  follows:  "Most  mighty  Grand  Cy. ! 
Without  further  salutation  permit  your  servant  to 
report,  that  on  yester  morn  he  visited  the  ofHce  of 
the  agent  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  near  this 
sitting.  He  found  the  agent  well  and  prosper- 
ous. He  asked  the  well  and  prosperous  agent  if 
something  could  not  be  done  to  keep  the  negroes 
at  home  of  nights.  The  agent  thought  the  '  col- 
ored brethren,'  as  he  called  them,  ought  to  be 
permitted  to  enjoy  themselves;  that  this  was  now 
a  free  country.  Your  servant  suggested  that  the 
negroes  were  creating  disturbances,   were  firing 


A  Mighty  Power  Comes  345 

guns  and  pistols  indiscriminately,  to  the  danger 
of  life  and  limb.  The  agent  maintained  that 
while  the  colored  people  were  somewhat  jubilant 
while  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  the  oflicers 
proposed  to  remedy  the  evil  by  seeing  that  the 
colored  brethren  paid  out  their  money  for  mar- 
riage licenses  and  other  luxuries.  Up  to  this 
point  in  our  conversation  the  agent  looked  bored. 
Your  servant  thought  he  would  stir  up  the  mighty 
man,  so  he  charged  the  negroes  with  having 
burned  Mr.  Sutton^s  house.  Then  was  the  great 
and  prosperous  agent  wroth.  He  said  that  the 
house  was  fired  by  Rebels,  or  by  accident;  that 
the  people  of  the  South  had  to  fear  only  late 
insurrectionists;  that  the  colored  brethren  were 
all  right  and  must  be  allowed  to  enjoy  themselves 
after  their  own  fashion.  Your  servant  had  the 
pleasure  of  bidding  the  great  man  a  respectful 
and  courteous  good-morning,  which  the  great 
man  was  too  low-bred  to  appreciate.  With  the 
consent  of  the  Grand  Cy.,  your  servant  will  'set 
down,'  in  the  language  of  the  lamented  Jonas 
Smith." 

"What  shall  be  done  with  the  remarks  of  the 
Khan  from  Watery  Fork  ? ' '  asked  Manning. 

"File  'em  down,"  cried  Ferry  Honston. 

"Keeper  of  the  Great  File,  file  'em  down!" 
said  the  Grand  Cyclops. 

"File  'em  down,"  echoed  the  others  in  unison. 

' '  Prepare  to  listen  to  the  disclosure  of  the 
Rajah  of  the  Third  Civil  District." 

"Most  puissant  'Clops,"  said  Perry  Houston, 
with  mock  obeisance,  ' '  may  you  never  see  your 
shadow  on  ground-hog  day!     I  have  nothing  to 


346  In  the  Wake  of  War 

report,  except  to  add  to  what  my  colleague  has 
right  now  said;  for  in  the  language  of  Judge 
Witan,  'we  is  podners. '  Together  we  made  a 
decent  and  respectful  appeal  to  the  powers  at 
Kosciusko  for  a  safe  and  quiet  community,  and 
together  we  M^ere  turned  down.  There  was  some- 
thing strange  about  the  conduct  of  everyone  of 
them,  except  Captain  Avery;  he  was  apparently 
candid  and  straightforward.  But  he  could  afford 
to  be,  for  he  said  he  could  do  nothing;  that  was 
very  easily  said.  We  met  Felix  Grayson  after 
leaving  the  Bureau  and  he  said  the  agent  was 
a  very  greedy  man,  and  he,  Felix,  thought  a 
little  money  paid  to  this  fellow,  Bragg,  would 
hush  the  negroes  and  quiet  the  disturbances.  We 
told  him  that  it  took  all  our  money  to  get  the 
negroes  brought  back  to  work  after  the  strike; 
Felix  sighed,  said  it  was  too  bad,  and  went  on. 
The  Provost-Marshal  would  not  talk  with  us,  and 
the  sheriff  had  a  contract  to  work  on  his  face 
and  could  not  spare  time  to  listen  to  us.  So 
there  we  are.  All  the  planters  in  my  neighbor- 
hood have  paid  the  Bureau  to  get  the  blacks  back 
to  work  under  their  contracts,  and  now  they  run 
about  nights  until  they  are  utterly  worthless  by 
day.  This  night-hawking  is  the  worst  feature, 
Mr.  Grand  'Clops,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  cure, 
except  to  buy  up  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  Our 
people,  especially  our  ladies,  arc  in  a  state  of 
terror,  the  like  of  which  they  never  experienced 
when  we  were  off  to  the  war.  I  have  nothing  to 
recommend,  Mr.  'Clops,  and  only  ask  that  I  may 
'  set  down.'  " 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  the  disclosure  ?  " 


A  Mighty  Power  Comes  347 

"Too  dod-gasted  long;  file  it  down,"  cried 
Morton  Seymour. 

"Keeper  of  the  Great  File,  file  it  down!" 
said  the  Grand  Cyclops. 

"  File  it  down,"  echoed  the  others. 

Howard  was  chafing  under  all  this  nonsense. 
He  alone  knew  the  true  state  of  aftairs,  and  wanted 
serious  talk ;  but  as  the  meeting  was  proceeding  on 
the  lines  he  had  suggested,  he  would  not  interrupt. 

' '  The  Mogul  that  reigns  over  the  territory  near 
the  Union  League,  will  now  divulge,"  said  Man- 
ning. 

' '  Most  mighty  potentate,  Cyclops  de  Grand, 
we  are  makiiig  light  of  a  serious  situation.  Here 
we  are  threatened  with  anarchy;  v.^e  are  completely 
overrun  by  negroes  in  the  hands  of  designing  white 
men,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  remedy,"  said  Paul 
Willston.  "You  ought  to  live  just  one  day  near 
Kosciusko,  and  witness  the  performances.  Last 
night,  after  the  League  adjourned,  there  was  a 
regular  fusillade  in  front  of  our  house;  two  win- 
dows were  broken,  and  a  bullet  lodged  in  the  wall 
directly  above  father's  bed.  It  is  hell  every  time 
those  fellows  get  together.  Father  went  to  see 
the  Bureau  officials,  and  got  just  no  satisfaction. 
Every  phxnter  in  my  community  has  been  bled;  all 
the  negroes  who  had  the  money  to  pay  for  licenses 
have  been  compelled  to  be  married  again;  every- 
thing is  growing  worse.  What  shall  we  do,  boys  ? 
I  wish  Colonel  Grayson  and  Major  Lewis  were 
here  to  advise  us.     We  must  do  something." 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  the  report  ?  " 

"It 's  short,  let  it  not  be  filed,"  cried  Morton 
Seymour. 


348  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Let  the  Keeper  of  the  Great  File  rest,"  said 
the  Grand  Cyclops. 

"  Rest;  so  says  the  Grand  Cyclops,  and  he  must 
be  obeyed,"  the  others  repeated  in  unison. 

' '  Listen  while  the  Hydra  from  the  shores  of 
the  blue  Opal  makes  his  exposure." 

"Now,  boys,  as  Paul  has  said,  'this  is  a  seri- 
ous business,'  "  said  Howard,  with  great  earnest- 
ness. "  I  can  not  make  nonsense  of  what  I  have 
to  tell  you;  I  believe  it  is  a  matter  of  life  or  death 
to  the  native  whites  of  this  Section.  Yes,  boys, 
it  is  more;  the  respect  and  honor  of  our  ladies  is 
this  very  hour  at  stake.  So  you  will  have  to  bear 
with  me,  and  get  down  to  hard,  disagreeable  facts 
for  a  time.  What  I  will  tell  you,  I  know  to  be 
true,  as  much  as  if  I  had  seen  and  heard  them 
myself.  No  common  rumorj  no  neighborhood 
gossip,  no  exaggeration."  He  went  over  the 
incidents  of  the  night  before,  in  narrative  form, 
without  disclosing  his  part  in  them.  The  knowl- 
edge that  he  had  taken  this  adventure  he  kept  for 
his  sister,  himself  and  Pleas.-  The  only  feature 
he  eliminated  from  his  recital  was  the  mention  of 
Felix  Grayson's  name.  Family  pride  forbade  this 
disclosure.  Except  for  this,  every  word  he  had 
heard  spoken  was  faithfully  repeated. 

This  statement  brought  a  moment's  silence, 
which  Morton  Seymour  found  more  oppressive 
than  threatening  disaster.  He  could  keep  still 
no  longer;  assuming  an  air  of  business  abstrac- 
tion he  said:  "I  move  you,  Mr.  Grand  Cyclops, 
that  this  harrowing  confession  be  rasped." 

"Hush  your  nonsense,"  said  Paul  Willston. 
"  This  is  serious  enough;  we  must  get  shut  of  this 


A  Mighty  Power  Comes  349 

gadding  about,  or  we  shall  have  to  quit  our  homes. 
What  have  you  to  suggest,  Howard?  " 

"  Pleas  says  we  can  scare  the  negroes  until  they 
will  be  afraid  to  stick  their  noses  into  the  dark," 
answered  Howard. 

"  How  scare  them?  "  asked  Manning. 

' '  Take  advantage  of  their  superstition ;  make 
up  ghost  stories,  as  we  have  done  a  hundred 
times. ' ' 

"That's  easy,  but  who  will  circulate  your 
yarn  ?  When  the  negroes  were  under  our  hands 
we  could  do  that;  but  now  they  are  in  Bragg's 
bag  —  another  proposition,"  said  Seymour,  who 
was  skeptical,  when  not  mischievous. 

"  Pleas  will  attend  to  my  territory;  each  of  you 
must  have  some  negro  to  whom  you  can  tell  a 
good  story  in  such  a  way  that  it  will  get  into 
general  circulation.  Let 's  fix  it  up  right  now, 
and   make  a  -trial  at  once." 

There  was  a  brief  silence;  each  was  considering 
the  proposition  and  calculating  how  it  would  affect 
his  surroundings.  Before  any  of  them  were  ready 
to  speak,  Pleas  called  from  the  wood  below: 
"Mars  Howard!  Mars  Howard!  See  de  fire." 
All  turned  to  the  direction  from  which  the  voice 
came,  and  saw  the  heavens  illuminated  with  a  red 
glow. 

"Another  house  !  "  all  exclaimed. 

"Maria  found  her  man  for  the  night  job," 
said  Howard 

"It's  in  my  direction;  it  may  be  Graystone. 
Try  the  '  scare, '  and  let  me  know  to-morrow.- 
Good-night,  boys."  And  Paul  Willston  was  out 
of  sight  in  an  instant,  making  for  home. 


350  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"We  ought  to  have  gone  with  him,"  said 
Manning,  reproachfully.  "But  perhaps  it  is 
better  to  stay  here  and  lay  plans  to  stop  this 
business  altogether.     Now  for  the  story. ' ' 

"Let 's  start  a  yarn  about  a  monster  that  lives 
in  the  cave  right  under  us.  Something  that  parades 
at  night,  has  big  eyes,  and  eats  negroes.  How  's 
that?"  asked  Howard,  for  a  suggestion. 

"  Very  good;  but  what  is  your  'sarpint '  like?  " 
Morton  Seymour  enquired. 

"  Oh,  he  has  the  head  of  a  man,  only  it  is  four 
times  as  big,  the  body  of  a  crocodile,  and  great 
scales  as  big  as  skillets,  the  legs  of  a  —  of  —  a 
turtle  —  twelve  legs,  six  on  each  side,  a  tail  that 
ends  in  a  spear,  like  the  satanic  Cyclops.  Is  that 
too  much?  "  asked  Manning  Lewis,  straightening 
himself  in  pride  before  his  off-hand  creation. 

"  The  cuss  scares  me  already,"  cried  Morton. 

"I  don't  think  there  is  any  too  much  detail," 
said  Hov/ard.  "If  the  story  goes,  the  negroes 
will  add  plenty  of  particulars  about  his  flaming 
eyes,  frothy  mouth  and  blood}'  teeth.  What  shall 
we  call  your  child.  Manning  ?  " 

"Now  let  some  one  else  think  of  that;  I've 
done   my  part,"    answered    Manning. 

"Something  horrible,"  suggested  Perry  Hous- 
ton, who  had  kept  still  since  Howard  had  made 
his   statement. 

"Call  it  plain  Man-Eater, "  said  Howard. 
"The  negroes  will  make  a  name  quickly  enough, 
if  the  story  goes." 

Pleas  was  then  called  in  and  the  story  v/as 
related  to  him.  The  alacrity  with  which  he 
tacked  on  chapter  after  chapter  of  flesh-creejDi ng 


A  Mighty  Power  Comes  351 

details  was  astonishing.  Manning  Lewis  con- 
fessed   the    weakness    of   his   own   fancy. 

"  Naouw,  gen'lemen,  tell  dat  Eli,  de  nigger 
from  Arkansas,  was  et  up,  body  an'  briches,  by 
dat  feesh.  I  wants  to  git  shet  dat  drunk  buzzard 
anyhow;  he  make  me  seek,"  said  Pleas. 

Agreeing  to  meet  the  third  night  following,  to 
report  on  the  effect  of  this  venture,   they  parted. 

Thus  started,  for  Williams  County,  a  mysteri- 
ous power.  The  world  gave  it  an  organization, 
and  many  names;  for  itself,  and  among  those 
who  were  connected  with  it,  it  was  nameless.  It 
hardly  rose  to  the  dignity  of  an  organization;  yet 
no  organization  ever  wrought  more  systematically 
or  effectively.  It  sprang  from  the  direst  neces- 
sity, yet  those  who  started  it  never  hoped  that  it 
would  prove  such  a  complete  barrier  for  the  pro- 
tection of  human  life  and  personal  rights. 

It  started  by  an  accident;  it  worked  as  a  joke. 


XXXIII 

In  Which  Eli  Mysteriously  Disappears 

WHEN  Pleas  reached  home  he  went  straight 
to  his  cabin  and  shook  out  his  friend,  Eli. 
This  worthy  had  not  Ijeen  out  of  doors  since  the 
night  before,  when  he  assailed,  with  natural 
vigor,  the  jug  of  sutler's  whisky.  But  the  liquor 
had  now  been  gone  some  hours,  and  the  negro 
began  to  recover  his  senses.  Pleas  made  the 
fellow  believe  that  he  had  committed  a  foul  crime 
during  his  period  of  unconsciousness;  and  in 
a  short  time  instilled  into  his  clouded  intellect  a 
desire  to  get  out  of  the  country,  and  that  quickly. 
When  Eli  burst  out  with  this  proposition.  Pleas 
made  no  argument;  on  the  contrary,  he  drove  the 
matter  further  and  made  the  drunkard  believe 
that  he  either  must  flee  the  State,  or  go  to  jail. 
In  those  days  the  negroes  had  much  reverence  for 
barred  windows  and  iron  doors;  only  since  they 
have  become  educated  and  elevated  have  any  con- 
siderable number  of  the  colored  people  come  to 
prefer  a  term  in  jail,  with  free  board,  to  a  job  of 
work  at  good  wages.  So,  when  Eli,  now  thor- 
oughly frightened  and  sobered,  raised  the  ques- 
tion of  car-fare.  Pleas  became  alarmed,  and  asked 
quickly:  "  Ain  yo'  got  no  moneys  Thet  am  de 
beatenis'  thing  I  err  heerd  tell  of,  Yo'  caint 
walk;  git  caught,  shu.  Mought  as  well  steal  a 
boss,  as  what  yo'  done  already.  Feard  to  steal 
a  boss  ? "' 

352 


In  Which  Eli  Disappears  353 

"  Yas,   Brudder   Pleas;   I 'ud   tumble    offn    de 
stole  boss,"  cried  Eli. 

"I  gits  de  money  from  Mars  Howard,  mebbe. 
Yo'  lef  yo'  overcoat  fo'  s'cur'ty  ?  " 

' '  Yas,   Brudder  Pleas, ' '  cried  Eli,  with  a  sigh 
of  relief. 

During  the  months  of  his  eclipse  at  Elmington, 
Pleas  had  been  at  work  for  wages  on  a  little  farm 
hidden  away  up  a  narrow  valley  in  the  hill-coun- 
try. Here  he  was  as  safe  as  he  would  have  been 
in  Arkansas,  and  by  many  ingenious  devices,  he 
managed  to  keep  himself  reasonably  informed  of 
the  trend  of  events  in  Kosciusko.  And  more,  he 
earned  quite  a  bit  of  money,  every  cent  of  which 
he  kept  religiously;  and  when  he  returned  to  his 
old  home,  he  placed  in  Howard's  hand  the 
tobacco  bag  containing  the  whole  sum.  The 
young  master  refused  the  gift,  but  promised  to 
keep  the  funds  safely,  subject  to  Pleas's  call;  he 
had  only  to  ask  for  what  he  needed. 

The  money  transaction  being  arranged,  they 
put  off,  walking  around  Kosciusko  for  fear  of  the 
officers,  whom  Pleas  declared  might  then  have 
a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  his  friend,  and  made 
for  the  first  station  to  the  south  of  the  county 
seat;  and  at  an  early  hour,  Eli  took  the  train  with 
a  ticket  for  Decatm-,  Alabama.  Pleas  was  back 
home  before  daybreak.  When  Howard  came  out 
the  next  morning  he  asked  where  Eli  was. 

"  Doan  know.  Mars  Howard.  Reckons  de  ole 
man-eater  got  'im.  Hev  n't  saw  Eli  sence  las' 
night.  Hit  sutnly  am  curus  how  a  nigger  gits  et 
clean  up,   mighty  curus." 

''Where  did  he  go,  Pleas?"  asked  Howard. 

C3 


354  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"  Dat  ole  man-eater  wid  twelve  laigs,  an'  big 
eyes,  an'a  man's  haid,  an'  a  body  like  a  allegator, 
an'  scales  as  big  as  kittle  kivers,  an'  claws  like 
tater  hooks,  an'  tail  with  a  spear  on  de  en',  an' 
teeth  like  tombstones  —  dat  critter  sutnly  miis' 
got  'im  las'  evenin'.  Tell  de  niggers  'bout  hit," 
said  Pleas,  with  a  peculiar  twinkle  of  the  eye. 

"  Where  did  you  send  him  to  ?  "  asked  Howard, 
rather  commandingly. 

"  Yo'  tells  de  niggers,  fust.  1  's  sleepy,  now," 
and  Pleas  yawned  outrageously. 

"Tell  them  yourself,  you  scoundrel,"  said 
Howard,  disappointed  with  the  effect  that  his 
show  of  authority  had  produced. 

"Done  tole  'em  'bout  de  man-eater,  an'  dat  I 
caint  fi.n'  Eli  nowheres." 

During  the  forenoon,  Pleas  made  it  convenient 
to  go  to  the  field  where  the  five  negroes  were 
hoeing  cotton;  and  while  they  rested  in  the  shade 
of  a  tree,  he  gave  them  more  full  and  detailed 
particulars  of  the  new  monster.  The  effect  that 
this  foolish  and  impossible "  story  had  on  these 
creatures  can  hardly  be  realized.  They  all  be- 
lieved it,  and  rivalled  each  other  in  creating  fanci- 
ful and  shocking  details.  Every  man  of  them 
had  a  name  for  the  beast;  all  had  seen  his  tracks 
along  the  banks  of  the  Opal. 

When  the  sun  marked  the  meridian.  Pleas  led 
the  hands  by  a  round-about  course  towards  the 
house  for  dinner.  At  a  point  near  the  Opal,  over 
a  hill  and  out  of  view  from  the  field  where  they 
had  been  at  work,  they  came  upon  the  torn  and 
drabbled  remnants  of  Eli's  overcoat.  For  a 
space  of  several  yards  the  cotton  was  torn  from 


In  Which  Eli  Disappears  355 

the  soil,  the  dirt  was  beaten,  and  there  was  every 
sign  of  a  fierce  struggle.  Several  imprints  of 
great  feet  or  paws  were  clearly  seen,  and  the 
cruel  claws  of  the  satyr  had  dug  deep  holes  in  the 
soft  earth. 

"Doan  I  tole  yo'  ?  "  asked  Pleas,  in  triumph. 
' '  Eli  am  et  up,   shu. ' ' 

The  statement  was  beyond  question,  and  they 
went  thoughtfully  to  dinner. 

Each  of  the  five  young  men  who  had  par- 
ticipated in  the  secret  meeting  at  the  Bluff  the 
night  before,  quietly  set  afloat  in  his  immediate 
neighborhood  the  story  agreed  upon.  Within 
twenty-four  hours  of  its  creation,  it  spread  from 
the  hills  on  the  west  to  the  ridges  on  the  east. 
Nearly  every  negro  knew  it.  Whence  it  came  no 
one  knew,  it  was  there,  and  spread  like  fire 
through  a  pine  forest.  No  white  man  was  heard 
to  repeat  it  ;  no  white  man  seemed  to  know  any- 
thing about   it. 

The  ofticers  and  Carpet-Baggers  heard  the  wild 
tale  and  thought  it  the  fantastic  creature  of  some 
idle  negro's  brain.  That  it  was  a  blow  struck  out 
of  the  dark,  either  by  design  or  accident,  aimed 
at  their  abuses  and  usurpations,  never  once 
occurred  to  them.  They  thought  themselves 
secure  in  all  their  assumptions;  that  the  patient 
and  courteous  people  whom  they  were  daily  out- 
raging would  neither  defend  nor  retaliate. 

It  is  not  the  province  of  this  history  to  speculate 
on  the  relative  qualities  of  Fate,  or  Accident,  or 
Providence,  in  shaping  the  defenses  of  this  long- 
sufi'ering  people.  It  is  more  in  point  to  record 
that   there    was    no    incendiary    fire  in   Williams 


356  In  the  Wake  of  War 

County  that  night,  nor  for  many  a  day  and  night 
following.  Maria's  "man  for  a  night  job"  had 
tucked  himself  carefully  away  in  the  corner  of  a 
cabin,  behind  a  chimney's  lug,  there  to  listen  to 
harrowing  tales  about  a  man-eater  with  twelve 
legs,  the  head  of  a  man,  the  body  of  a  crocodile, 
and  other  particulars;  and  about  the  disappear- 
ance of  Eli,  the  colored  gentleman  from  Arkansas, 
the  relation  of  which  kept  him  occupied  until  he 
had  no  taste  for  nocturnal    adventures. 

The  next  regular  meeting  of  the  League  was 
the  most  shabbily  attended  of  any  since  the  order 
was  started  in  Kosciusko.  There  were  not  a  half 
dozen  blacks  in  the  room;  the  cordon  of  out- 
posts was  not  on  guard, —  it  was  dark. 

A  week  of  comparative  peace  followed;  only 
for  the  nagging  of  the  officers.  Middle  Tennessee 
would  have  been  again  the  earthly  Paradise  that 
God  Almighty  designed  and  created  it  in  the 
beginning. 


XXXIV 

In  Which  the  Pursuits  of  Peace  Are  Exemplified 

THE  wholesome  quiet  produced  bj  the  first  ef- 
fort at  regulating  the  lawless  blacks,  brought 
to  the  few  who  knew  the  simple  origin  of  the  move- 
ment a  degree  of  security  they  had  not  felt  for 
more  than  a  year.  They  easily  foresaw  the  com- 
pleteness of  their  defense  against  negroes;  they 
believed  that  a  little  ingenuity  would  supply  means 
by  which  the  infamous  persecution  by  the  officers 
could  be  checked,  if,  indeed,  it  could  not  be  wholly 
circumvented.  So,  with  true  American  enterprise, 
they  began  to  plan  for  the  morrow,  before  they 
had  fully  provided  for  the  security  thereof. 

This  weakness  for  discounting  the  future  on 
the  merest  prospect  of  success  (and  "a  fighting 
chance'')  is  an  American  disorder.  It  is  very 
near  of  kin  to  the  gambling  instinct,  although  so 
thoroughly  allied  with  all  our  institutions  and 
methods,  that  it  no  longer  bears  the  odium  that 
still  attaches  to  its  discredited  relation. 

One  of  the  first  to  begin  to  put  his  house  in  or- 
der was  Howard  Grayson.  Margaret  Dodge  was 
now  fully  recovered  from  the  illness  brought  on 
by  overwork  and  insufficient  food  while  a  nurse  in 
the  Confederate  hospitals.  The  misunderstand- 
ing between  them  had  been  brushed  aside  as  soon 
as  she  was  able  to  leave  her  sick-room  and  listen 
to  Howard's  frank  and  manly  apology.     The  scene 

357 


358  In  the  Wake  of  War 

by  which  was  enacted  this  reconciliation,  was  rather 
too  sentimental  for  record  in  this  most  serious 
history;  suffice  to  say,  it  was  a  full  and  complete 
restoration  of  confidence.  And  now  that  there  was 
a  fair  promise  of  peace  in  the  community,  or,  at 
least,  a  means  for  the  procuring  of  peace,  he  asked 
her  to  name  an  early  day  for  the  celebration  of 
their  marriage. 

With  the  love  of  being  implored  —  even  to  the 
verge  of  being  urged,  on  this  and  kindred  sub- 
jects —  so  dear  to  the  pride  of  the  Southern  girl 
—  she  put  him  off  from  day  to  day;  but  when  she 
saw  that  he  was  really  very  anxious  and  took  the 
matter  seriously,  she  sent  him  to  her  father  to 
make  a  formal  request  for  his  consent  to  an  early 
wedding  day. 

John  Dodge  liked  above  all  else  to  be  consulted 
with.  It  made  little  odds  what  the  subject  was  — 
that  often  did  not  interest  him  —  it  was  the  recog- 
nition of  his  opinion  that  fixed  his  attention. 
Howard  knew  his  weakness  and  ap^iroached  to 
this  side  of  his  nature. 

"Well,  well,  my  boy,"  cried  Dodge,  rubbing 
his  great  hands  together,  "so  you  want  to  marry 
Margaret?  Don't  blame  you;  she's  a  fine  girl; 
her  father's  daughter,  through  and  through. 
Well,  you  shall  have  her." 

"That's  tolerably  well  settled  already;  the 
time  when,  is  the  question  now,"  Howard  inter- 
posed. 

"That  don't  make  any  difference;  she  's  yours; 
fix  the  time  yourselves.  Do  you  know  1  shall 
have  to  go  back  North  on  business  pretty  soon  ? 
May  be  gone  several  months;  can't  tell.     Lots  of 


Pursuits  of  Peace  Are  Exemplified  359 

business    up   North,    Howard;    oceans   of   it.      1 
ought  to  be  up  there  now  and  get  mj  share;  just 
w^astiug  my  time  down  here  where  everybody  is 
broke,   except  those  Federal  officers.     And  then 
the  climate  —  you  just  ought  to  see  that  climate  ! 
Never  had  a  fainting  spell  there;  too  busy  to  drop 
down  insensible  in  a  fit,  like  I  did  on  the  Bluff  at 
our  celebrated    duel.     That    was    nothing  in  the 
world  but  biliousness;  I  wasn't  the  least  bit  ner- 
vous or  excited.     Let 's  see,  what  were  we  talking 
about  ?     Oh,  yes,  that  wedding  !     Go  ahead,  my 
boy;  you  and  Margaret  arrange  it;  only  count  me 
in;  don't  leave  me  out.     Do  you  know,  Howard, 
my   boy,  I  have  rather  expected  this  ever  since 
you  and  Margaret  were  children  ?     It  seems  kind 
of  natm-al  that  the  daughter  of  John  Dodge  and 
the  son  of  Colonel  Rodeny  Grayson  should  wed. 
My  daughter  and  the  son  of  the  best  and  most 
influential  man  in  Middle  Tennessee  ought  to  be 
joined  in  holy  wedlock  !     Do  you  remember  when 
you  were  children    and    went    to    the  Old   Field 
school,  how  you  used  to  stop  here  every  morning 
and  get   Margaret's    books    and    dinner    bucket  'i 
You  were  a  fine  boy  then ;  yes,   siree,  a  fine  boy. 
The  late  Mrs.  Dodge  always  loved  you,  Howard ; 
she  was  a  good  woman,  and  a  good  judge  of  men 
—  she  showed  that  when  she  married  me.      Yes, 
yes;  and  you  were  a  good  soldier,  too.     Do  you 
know    I    love  a  brave  man  ?     I  hate  a  coward  ! 
Well,    Margaret  deserves  a  brave  man;   she  's  a 
brave   girl.       Oh,    she  's    her   father's    daughter. 
Go  and   arrange   the  matter  with  her,   and  may 
God  bless  you,  my  boy.     I  M  go  along  and  talk 
it  over  with  you,  but  I  must  write  those  business 


360  In  the  Wake  of  War 

letters.  Business  is  business  !  Have  a  church 
Avedding,  I  want  to  invite  those  Northern  fe]h:)ws 
at  Kosciusko,  just  to  show  them  how  we  do  busi- 
ness down  here." 

"I  think  we  shall  have  to  leave  the  matter  of 
church  to  Margaret.  I  more  than  half  suspect 
she  will  object  to  any  display,"  said  Howard, 
who  spoke  his  own  sentiments,  hoping  she  would 
agree  with  him. 

"She's  pretty  headstrong,  and  I  guess  we'll 
have  to  let  her  boss  this  business,"  answered  Mr. 
Dodge.  "Do  you  remember  about  that  deed? 
Well,  sir,  she  never  has  given  it  back  to  me;  I 
can't  get  it.  If  I  go  North  to  live,  I  shall  sell 
the  farm,  and  that  one  hundred  acres  takes  the 
very    heart    out  of  the  whole  plantation." 

"Perhaps  it  doesn't  suit  Margaret  to  think  of 
the  graveyard  in  which  her  mother  and  all  the 
Saunders  family  are  buried,  as  passing  into  the 
hands  of  strangers,"   said  Howard. 

"Oh,  that's  it,  all  right  enough;  but,  my  boy, 
business  is  business,  and  I  'm  a  business  man. 
After  all,  she  's  right,  and  I  am  proud  of  her 
spunk.  Natural,  perfectly  natural;  she's  her 
father's  daughter.  Well,  I  '11  just  give  that  to 
her  for  a  dowry;  that's  what  I'll  do.  After  I 
get  settled  down  in  business  up  North,  and  am 
making  money  hand  over  fist,  may  be  you  '11  sell 
out  here  and  join  me;  I'll  make  you  a  fortune, 
if  you  will." 

"  I  don't  reckon  Elmington  ever  will  belong  to 
anybody  but  a  Grayson,  so  long  as  there  is  a  per- 
son in  the  world  of  that  name,"  answered  Howard, 
quietly. 


Pursuits  of  Peace  Are  Exemplified  361 

"That's  right,  too;  stand  by  the  old  home- 
stead. Well,  I  must  write  these  business  letters. 
Go  and  arrange  your  wedding  business,  and  God 
bless  you  both." 

The  marriage  was  arranged  for,  the  day  and 
hour  set;  but  the  church  and  the  invitations  for 
the  Federal  officers,  except  Captain  Avery,  were 
entirely  overlooked  by  mutual  consent. 


XXXV 

The  Secret  Order  Takes  Form,  but  not  a  Name 

AT  the  second  meeting  of  the  five,  when  they 
.  came  together  to  compare  notes  on  the  effect 
of  the  wild  tale  about  the  man-eater,  it  was  agreed 
all  around  that  the  society  should  enlarge  its  mem- 
bership. Accordingly,  when  they  met  for  the 
third  time,  each  brought  a  friend,  the  ten  making 
quite  a  formidable  company. 

By  strange  prescience,  for  there  had  been  no 
agreement  between  the  five,  none  had  mentioned 
that  he  had  attended  a  secret  meeting.  Only  the 
five  knew  of  it.  The  little  world  about  Kosciusko 
did  not  know  that  the  foolish  story  that  had 
frightened  the  negroes  into  a  state  of  reasonable 
docility,  was  a  composite  —  the  combined  effort 
of  five  of  their  best  known  young  gentlemen. 
The  Southern  folk,  discouraged  and  hopeful  in 
turn,  but  always  patient,  did  not  know  that  their 
defender  —  their  avenger  — was  already  in  their 
midst;  that  although  it  was  nameless  and  unor- 
ganized, they  had  seen  its  power  and  experienced 
its  benefits. 

Gatherings  of  late  Confederates  at  night,  either 
secret  or  open,  were  prohibited  by  the  powers  at 
Kosciusko.  So,  for  fear  of  interruption,  or  dis- 
covery, the  ten  adjourned  from  the  open  on  the 
Bluff,  to  the  cave  under  it.  The  first  business 
was  an  explanation  to   the  new  members  of  the 

362 


The  Secret  Order  Takes  Form  363 

work  already  done.  This  finished,  all  took  seri- 
ously to  the  matter  of  forming  the  accidental 
association  into  a  permanent  organization. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitu- 
tion, with  instructions  to  report  back  at  the  next 
meeting,  two  nights  later.  When  this  document, 
known  as  the  Prescript,  was  brought  in  and  read, 
those  who  listened  to  its  provisions  were  treated 
to  the  most  original  and  unique  production  that 
the  history  of  secret  fraternities  can  furnish.  It 
was  a  huge  joke  —  wild,  fantastic,   droll. 

Even  with  the  constitution  adopted,  the  order, 
or  society,  or  fraternity,  or  club,  was  nameless. 
Its  only  appellation  was,  *  *.  But  for  the  ready 
fancy  of  the  newspaper  correspondent,  who 
months  afterward  was  shocked  to  learn  that  this 
mysterious  power  had  a  membership  of  twenty- 
five  thousand  men  in  Middle  Tennessee,  and  has- 
tened to  invent  suitable  cognomens,  the  order 
would  have  been  nameless  forever.  To  this 
watch-dog  of  public  and  private  morals  and  meth- 
ods, not  to  the  organization  or  its  members,  man- 
kind is  indebted  for  the  names,  "  Ku-Klux  Klan, " 
"The  Invisible  Empire,"  "The  Order  of  Pale 
Faces,"  "The  Knights  of  the  White  Camelia," 
and  a  hundred   others. 

In  this  written  Prescript,  only  one  paragraph 
was  serious  in  tone.  That  provided:  First,  that 
all  the  members  should  recognize  and  obey  the 
Government  of  the  United  States;  second,  that 
they  should  protect  the  weak,  especially  women 
and  children;  third,  that  the  members  should  stand 
together.  An  obligation,  more  facetious  than  for- 
midable, closed  the  unusual  document. 


364-  In  the  Wake  of  War 

A  ritual,  prescribing  ceremonies  for  initiation 
and  other  formal  proceedings,  was  reported  and 
adopted.  After  it  had  been  read  several  times 
and  its  contents  were  well  understood,  the  writing 
was  burned  with  strange  and  ludicrous  ceremony. 
From  that  hour  the  mysteries  and  secrets  of  the 
order  lived  only  in  the  memory  of  men. 

Whether  the  divulgence  of  these  mysteries 
would  redound  to  the  honor  or  infamy  of  the 
hundreds  of  thousands  who  so  faithfully  carried 
them,  is  not  a  matter  for  consideration  by  the 
chronicler  of  this  authentic  history,  especially  as 
he  has  never  been  intrusted  with  so  much  as  a 
hint  at  one  of  them.  Yet  millions  of  men  and 
women,  fortified  with  a  like  absence  of  knowledge, 
have  dared  to  pass  judgment,  sweeping  and  con- 
clusive. Be  that  as  it  may,  mankind  loves  those 
who  are  faithful  to  a  trust,  and  this  countless  and 
unknown  brotherhood  will  be  forever  honored,  in 
that  it  guarded  its  secrets  to  the  end. 

From  this  meeting  the  order  spread  until  it  en- 
compassed those  parts  of  the  country  that  were 
under  the  heel  of  the  oppressor.  The  success  of 
this  first  effort,  simple  as  it  was,  became  known 
to  every  community  in  the  terrorized  South.  Dens 
seemed  to  spring  up  spontaneously;  no  agents,  no 
hired  organizers,  went  from  place  to  place  urging 
men  to  join.  Men  flocked  to  the  dreaded  banner 
without  stopping  to  enquire  of  its  methods,  (n*  to 
consider  where  it  would  end.  It  had  brought  a 
degree  of  relief;  it  had  checked  the  tidal  wave  of 
systematic  iniquity — that  was  enough. 

The  people  were  worn  out  with  persecutions; 
they  were  daily  plundered   by  rapacious  officers; 


The  Secret  Order  Takes  Form  365 

the  negroes  were  becoming  insolent,  insulting, 
menacing,  under  the  influence  of  these  officers; 
anarchy  threatened,  and  they  were  powerless  to 
evade  or  to  meet  it.  Shall  we  wonder  that  they 
grasped  at  this  one  mysterious  straw  ?  In  their 
keenness  for  quiet,  is  it  strange  that  they  over- 
looked the  possible  abuses  of  their  accidental  cre- 
ation ?  Shall  those  who  builded  under  such  a 
press  of  ill-treatment  be  blamed  that  they  did  not 
foresee  that  in  the  future,  designing  men,  even  the 
officers  at  Kosciusko,  could  make  use  of  their  for- 
tuitous structure  for  infamous  purposes  ? 

However  questionable  its  methods  or  practices, 
it  quelled  lawlessness,  restored  order  and  pre- 
served it  until  Greed  was  thrown  (or  tumbled) 
from  the  saddle,  and  Justice  resumed  her  sway. 
All  this  it  did,  and  there  are  grave  reasons  to 
doubt  if  like  results  could  have  been  attained  by 
more  open  means. 

With  all  its  known  and  confessed  weaknesses 
and  abuses,  the  Order  of  the  Two  Stars  did  well 
its  part.  It  protected  the  weak,  especially  de- 
fenseless women  and  children;  it  did  more  !  It 
saved  the  South  from  anarchy. 


XXXVI 

In  Which  the  Doctrine  of  the  Sadducees  is 
Utterly  Confounded 

SCARCELY  had  the  members  of  the  midnight 
circle  congratulated  themselves  on  their  first 
success,  when  a  new  case  appeared  for  treatment. 
As  Howard  Grayson  led  the  work  in  the  cotton 
rows  one  day,  a  fortnight  after  Eli  had  vanished, 
two  negroes  appeared  at  the  farthest  end  of  the 
field  and  had  a  few  moments'  talk  with  one  of  the 
hired  hands.  The  suddenness  with  which  they 
disappeared  aroused  his  suspicion,  and  he  called 
on  Pleas  to  find  out  the  mission  of  the  two  visit- 
ors. For  once.  Pleas  acknowledged  his  igno- 
rance, but  he  started  forthwith  to  supply  the  lack. 

It  was  a  longer  chase  than  he  had  expected ;  for 
the  hands  had  become  rather  suspicious  of  the  con- 
fidential servant.  But  he  never  gave  up  a  hunt 
while  there  was  scent  in  the  track,  and  before  he 
went  to  bed  that  night  he  found  out  that  a  general 
strike  of  the  negroes  had  been  ordered  by  the 
authorities  at  Kosciusko. 

This  was  Thursday;  all  hands  were  directed  to 
quit  work  on  the  following  Monday  morning. 

The  next  day  Pleas  communicated  this  infor- 
mation to  his  young  master;  that  night  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Den,  in  the  cave  beneath  the  Bluff, 
the  impending  labor  troubles  and  the  resultant 
fees  to  the  agent  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  be- 
came pertinent  subjects  for  consideration. 

366 


Doctrine  of  Sadducees  Confounded         367 

Saturday  night  and  Sunday,  the  matter  of  Eli's 
disappearance  was  revived  and  discussed  with  great 
vigor.  At  Ehnington,  Pleas  made  it  a  point  to 
have  the  negroes  together,  and  led  off  with  many 
new  problems  and  complications  in  the  mystery. 

In  other  parts  of  the  county,  like  agitation  and 
discussion  was  going  on.  Whence  came  this  re- 
vival of  a  subject  which  the  colored  people  so 
much  desired  to  have  forgotten,  nobody  knew. 
It  was  seemingly  spontaneous,  and  Pleas  argued 
that  it  was  but  the  precursor  of  more  serious 
developments  in  the  case. 

Sunday  morning  broke  into  a  heavy  down-pour 
of  rain,  which  continued  throughout  the  day.  By 
spells,  thunder  rolled  heavily  from  a  distance. 
Toward  night,  the  wind  blev/  up  fresh  and  strong; 
the  rain  came  down  in  floods.  Pleas  had  all  the 
negroes  on  the  place,  except  Uncle  Phil,  packed 
into  his  cabin.  It  was  fast  coming  dark,  the  wind 
whistled  through  the  cracks  and  moaned  in  the 
trees  overhead.  The  single  candle  fluttered  and 
spluttered  on  its  wooden  bracket  against  the  logs, 
and  at  times  nearly  parted  with  its  slender  flame. 
The  remnant  of  the  cook-fire  flickered  on  the 
hearth. 

Pleas  was  leading  the  conversation,  and  kept 
the  mysterious  affair  of  his  friend,  Eli,  constantly 
to  the  fore.  The- subject  seemed  to  weigh  on  his 
mind;  he  declared  solemnly  that  he  tried  in  vain 
to  shake  off  the  spell.  After  a  ponderous  clap  of 
thunder  that  shook  the  building,  and  set  the 
negroes  to  quaking,  he  said:  "Err  time  dat  ole 
thun'er  smash,  I  thinks  of  Eli.  He  comes  back; 
yo'  by  ear  me  talkin',  he  comes  back.     Mebbe  in 


368  In  the  Wake  of  War 

de  speret,  mebbc  in  de  rest-erection;  but  he 
comes.  De  Bible,  hit  say  we  raought  be  rest- 
erected  right  hyear;  leastwise,  Uncle  Phil  say  so, 
an'  he  knows  dat  ole  Bible-book,  from  en'  to  en'. 
I  ast  him  'bout  hit  yestiddy,  an'  he  say,  '  posser- 
ble, '    '  posserble. '  " 

The  heavy  splash,  splash  of  a  horse's  hoofs  in 
front  of  the  door  put  an  end  to  these  theological 
speculations.  Before  anyone  could  move,  had 
they  had  the  courage  to  stir,  a  famished,  hoarse 
voice  called,  as  if  from  out  a  great  distance: 
"Pleas,   yo'  Pleas!  water,   water!" 

"Eli,"  gasped  Pleas,  evidently  too  badly 
scared  to  make  a  move.  But  presently  he  recov- 
ered somewhat,  and  started  toward  the  door. 
Meanwhile  the  voice  from  without  kept  moan- 
ing, "Water!  water!"  Pleas  muttered:  "Hit's 
Eli,   shu." 

The  five  negroes  were  imbecile  with  fright; 
they  could  only  groan  and  call,    ' '  Gawd !  ' ' 

Pleas  jerked  the  door  open.  The  first  puff  of 
wind  extinguished  the  candle,  leaving  the  room 
in  darkness,  save  for  the  glimmer  of  coals  in  the 
fire-place.  This  flickered  iip  with  every  gust  of 
wind,   making  a  fitful,   uncertain  light. 

"Eli!  "  called  Pleas  timorously  into  the  black 
night. 

"Water!  water!"  came  back  the  strained, 
husky  voice  from  the  darkness. 

No  sooner  was  the  door  ajar,  than  the  horse 
charged  to  the  opening,  cutting  off  all  hope  of 
flight  for  the  negroes  within.  One  tumbled  over 
on  the  floor  in  a  swoon,  two  managed  to  get 
behind  the  door,  while  the  other  two  rolled  under 


Doctrine  or  Sadducees  Confounded        369 

the  bed.  From  these  points  of  shelter  they 
groaned,   and  shouted,  and  tried  to  pray. 

And  it  is  really  no  wonder,  for  the  apparition 
that  blocked  the  doorway  would  have  startled  the 
sturdiest  nerve.  The  horse  looked  like  a  mon- 
ster, and  was  covered  with  a  white  blanket  that 
reached  to  the  point  of  his  nose  and  touched  the 
ground  on  all  sides,  completely  enveloping  him. 
Holes  were  made  for  eyes  and  nostrils;  but  in- 
stead of  ears,  this  demon's  horse  had  a  great 
horn,  two  feet  long, .in  the  center  of  his  forehead. 
On  such  an  animal  was  Eli  mounted,  without 
saddle  or  bridle. 

And  poor  Eli  !  He  was  covered  with  an  im- 
mense white  mantle  that  flowed  in  shifting,  rus- 
tling folds  from  the  crown  of  his  head  to  the 
ground.  An  opening  was  made  for  his  face,  and 
slashes  in  the  sides  gave  freedom  to  his  arms. 
Two  black  horns  stood  up  threateningly  on  the 
top  of  his  head;  his  fingers  were  fully  twelve 
inches    long,   and  each  terminated  in  a  point. 

If  the  frightened  negroes  in  the  cabin  did  not 
note  all  of  these  details,  each  marked  the  face  of 
their  former  friend  —  for  there  was  no  doubt  in 
then-  minds  but  it  was  Eli.  The  black  features 
were  drtiwn  and  twisted  with  agony;  his  great 
white  teeth  shone  to  the  last  molar.  And  the 
wheezy  voice  kept  calling,  "Water!  water!" 

"  Whar  yo'  been  at,  Eli?  ''  asked  Pleas,  hunt- 
ing nervously  about  for  his  gourd. 

"In  Hell,"  answered  the  supposed  Eli,  with 
painful  shudderings.  "Water!  water!  a  bucket- 
fu'.  " 

Pleas  grasped  the  pail,   dipped  into   the  water 

24 


370  In  the  Wake  of  War 

barrel  that  had  stood  under  the  dripping  eaves 
all  day,  and  passed  it  quickly  to  Eli.  He  turned 
it  down  almost  at  a  gulp. 

"Mo',   mo'.  " 

"Whar  yo'  been?"  asked  Pleas  again,  dip- 
ping up  another  bucketful. 

"In  Hell,  I  tells  yo'.     Water,  mo'  water." 

Pleas  dipped  another  pailful,  and  another,  and 
a  fifth,  all  of  which  Eli  turned  down  without 
hesitation. 

"I's  burnin';  burnin'  insides;  mo'  water!" 
cried  the  spectre. 

From  within  the  cabin  came  groans,  shouts  of 
"Oh,  Gawd!"  and  prayers.  Pleas  worked  like 
a  whole  fire  department,  passing  up  bucketful 
after  bucketful,  until  the  barrel  was  empty.  The 
man  on  the  horse  cried,  "  Mo',  mo'." 

"Ain'  no  mo',  Eli,"  said  Pleas,  puffing  from 
exertion. 

"I's  burnin'  insides;  mo'  water!  Two  weeks 
in  Hell,  day  an'  night.  Look  out  fo'  dat  man- 
eater.  Pleas.  Tell  all  de  colored  gen'lemen  'bout 
'im.  Tell  de  boys  to  wuck,  stiddy  an'  faithfu', 
or  dey  goes  to  flell,  shu'.  Two  hours  out  ter- 
night;  mus'  git  back  in  dat  time.  Ain'  yo'  got 
no  mo'  water.  Pleas?  Oh,  I's  burnin'.  I 
comes  back  nex'  week,  if  de  boys  doan  wuck." 
And  with  a  coarse,  unearthly  yell,  he  started  the 
horse,  that  whirled  and  rushed  off  into  the 
darkness. 

For  an  hour  there  was  silence  in  the  cabin, 
except  for  groans  and  prayers.  Pleas  alone  had 
his  senses.  He  kept  muttering  to  himself:  "  Tur- 
rible,  turrible,  but  I  knowed  Eli  come  to  no  good ; 


Doctrine  of  Sadducees  Confounded  371 

he  was    the   lazies',   mos'    triflin'    nigger    in  the 
worl'.     He  nerr  would  wuck." 

When  Howard  came  home,  about  ten  o'clock, 
he  looked  in.  They  were  before  the  little  fire, 
jumping  and  shuddering  at  every  sound.  He 
listened  attentively  to  the  story  from  Pleas,  and 
seemed  horror-stricken  at  the  details. 

"Did  he  say  he  would  come  back?"  asked 
Howard,  when  Pleas  had  finished  his   recital. 

"■  Yas,  suh.  Mars  Howard;  spressly  if  we  doan 
wuck,  an'  keep  stiddy.  Doan  he  say  jes'  so?" 
asked   Pleas,    appealing  to   his    five  companions. 

"Yas,  suh,  Mars  Howard.  We  wucks  good," 
they  all  cried,  for  this  seemed  to  be  the  only 
defense  they  could  think  of. 

Pleas  then  related  that  Eli  had  grown  a  tail  as 
big  as  a  cow's,  with  an  ugly  spear  on  the  end,  and 
so  long  that  it  dragged  on  the  ground.  But  he 
forgot  to  tell,  if  he  knew,  that  this  tail  was  a 
piece  of  rubber  hose;  that  it  was  attached  to  a 
rubber  bag  under  Eli's  mantle;  that  the  bag 
received  the  water  by  pailfuls,  and  the  tail  carried 
it  off  several  yards  to  the  ground,  out  of  the 
range  of  the  faint  light. 

"Well,  there's  no  danger  from  Eli;  he  won't 
come  back  here,  for  I  'm  sure  you  all  intend  to 
work  and  stand  to  your  contracts,"  said  Howard, 
in  a  pacific  tone.  "  He  wants  to  warn  those  who 
are  trifling  and  worthless.  And  he  's  right,  too, 
boys;  you  all  know  that.  Wish  I  had  seen  him, 
although  he  never  did  like  me  right  well.  Now 
go  to  bed,  and  get  rested  for  to-morrow;  the 
ground  will  be  too  soft  to  work  in  cotton,  so  we 
shall  cut  brush.     Good-night,   boys." 


372  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"We  wucks  good,  Mars  Howard."  they  all 
declared. 

As  Howard  turned  to  go,  Pleas  noticed  a  black 
spot  on  the  side  of  his  neck,  and  called  out: 
"Dare's  a  inud-splotter  on  de  back  yore  naick, 
Mars  Howard." 

"Thank  you,  Pleas,  1*11  wash  it  off,  when  I 
get  to  my  room." 

It  may  have  been  mud;  it  may  have  been 
burnt  cork.      Who,   besides  Pleas,   knows  'i 

"Mars  Howard  been  co'tin',"  said  Pleas, 
when  his  master  was  out  of  hearing.  ' '  Miss  Mar- 
garet am  a  fine  leddy;  mighty  fine.  She 's  one 
we-all  folks;  she  set  gret  sto'  on  Mars  Howard. 
He  go  thar  'bout  err  evenin'." 

Pleas  seemed  to  think  this  explanation  was 
necessary,  lest  some  of  his  companions  had  no- 
ticed the  spot  on  Howard's  neck,  and  had  drawn 
conclusions  fi'om  it.  His  precaution  was  unnec- 
essary; they  were  not  in  a  mood  to  make  deduc- 
tions. 

There  was  no  general  strike  the  next  day.  A 
few  negroes  quit  work;  but  when  they  saw  that 
they  were  in  such  a  small  minority,  they  returned. 
The  officers  at  Kosciusko  had  a  thin  harvest  from 
this  effort.  Several  days  passed  before  they  knew 
the  reason  for  the  frustration  of  their  plan;  the 
colored  men  worked  by  day,  and  did  not  venture 
through  the  darkness  to  attend  the  League  meet- 
ings at  night.  The  financiers  who  had  planned 
this  master  stroke,  in  the  hope  of  being  paid  from 
five  to  twenty-five  dollars  for  each  negro  who 
should  be  induced  to  return  to  work,  became 
alarmed.     They    thought    they    were    losing    the 


Doctrine  of  Sadducees  Confounded  373 

confidence  of  the  black  people;  that  the  old  re- 
lation of  master  and  man  was  being  restored,  at 
least  so  far  as  influence  was  concerned. 

But  the  Walking  Delegates  brought  in  the 
news,  after  a  time.  Then  the  officers  saw  that 
they  were  outwitted.  They  knew  that  the  super- 
stition of  the  negro  was  a  strong  element  of  his 
character;  they  learned  later  that  it  outweighed 
gratitude,   patriotism,   hunger,   and  revenge. 

When  the  Grand  Cyclops  called  the  Den  to 
order  at  its  next  meeting,  a  comparison  of  notes 
disclosed  that  Eli  appeared  at  ten  difl'erent  places 
in  the  county  that  night,  at  precisely  8  o'clock. 

Truly,  his  was  an  onmipresent  spirit,  for  some 
of  the  places  were  separated  by  fifteen  miles.  No 
less  than  forty  visits  were  made  by  him  during  his 
two  hours'  respite,  and  he  spread  terror  to  hun- 
dreds of  evil-doers. 

But  Eli  was  not  without  consideration  and  com- 
passion. He  would  have  been  glad  to  save  these 
poor,  deluded  wretches  their  discomfort,  and  would 
have  preferred  to  strike  at  the  fountain-head  of 
the  iniquity  —  the  official  circle  at  Kosciusko,  only 
this  did  not  seem  to  be  practicable.  At  least,  that 
was  asserted  at  the  meeting  of  the  Den,  as  Eli's 
honest  sentiment.  Those  who  knew,  said  he  did 
what  he  could,  not  what  he  wanted  to  do. 

Again  the  negroes  were  quiet.  The  conspira- 
tors, who  lived  to  keep  them  in  a  ferment  that 
gold  might  come  from  it,  were  forming  new 
plans. 


XXXVII 

Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors 

SINCE  the  pioneers  from  Yirginia  and  North 
Carolina  came  over  the  Blue  Hidge  Mountain, 
and  founded  a  new  commonwealth,  First  Monday 
has  been  a  holiday.  On  this  day  County  Court 
sits;  and  magistrates,  one  from  each  Civil  Dis- 
trict, who  compose  this  formidable  tribunal,  ride 
to  the  county  seat,  there  to  consider,  smoke  upon, 
and  sometimes  dispatch  the  weighty  public  affairs 
that  come  up  for  disposition  or  delay.  In  an  early 
day,  when  the  court  was  first  established,  the  al- 
lowance of  bounties  for  wolf-scalps  and  other  like 
ponderous  matters  engaged  the  deliberations  of 
this  numerous  bench.  Latterly,  since  the  wolf 
has  passed  from  life  to  history,  equally  pressing- 
demands  of  modern  civilization  serve  to  keep  this 
body  serious  and  contemplative. 

Not  only  do  the  judges  of  this  court  ride  to  the 
county  seat  the  first  Monday  of  each  month,  but 
since  the  earliest  days  of  Tennessee  as  a  State, 
this  day  has  been  kept  inviolate  for  family  mar- 
keting, horse  trading,  collecting  and  paying  debts, 
telling  stories  and  anecdotes.  No  institution  is 
more  firmly  established  in  Tennessee  than  First 
Monday;  no  custom  more  sacredly  observed. 

When  the  officers  of  the  Freedmen^s  Bureau 
reformed  the  labor  contracts  at  the  time  of  the 
j&rst  strike,  they  incorporated  a  provision  that  the 
negroes  should  have  First  Monday  for  a  holiday. 

374 


Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors  375 


And  this  was  not  bad ;  why  should  not  the  colored 
brother  enjoy  all  the  privileges  and  advantages  of 
civilization,  especially  as  he  soon  was  to  become  a 
full-fledged  citizen  ?  There  was  yet  another  reason 
for  this  magnanimous  provision:  large  numbers  of 
peddlers  and  hawkers  were  coming  down  from  the 
JSTorth,  offering  all  sorts  of  wares  to  the  Freed- 
men,  and  paying  large  sums  to  these  oflicers  for 
privilege  licenses.  These  enterprising  dealers 
could  not  reach  the  negroes  by  day,  for  they 
were  in  the  field;  the  evening  assemblages  were 
too  small  and  poor  for  profitable  business.  The 
income  from  privilege  tax  was  threatened,  and  it 
was  no  inconsiderable  source  of  revenue  for  the 
Carpet-Baggers.  Accordingly,  it  was  arranged 
not  only  that  the  colored  people  should  have  this 
holiday,  but  that  they  should  be  paid  off  the  morn- 
ing of  their  frolic. 

This  wise  and  considerate  enactment  put  into 
the  public  square  at  Kosciusko,  every  First  Mon- 
day, hundreds  of  negroes  from  all  parts  of  the 
surrounding  country,  each  with  a  sum  of  money 
in  his  pocket.  This  made  a  rich  field  for  hawk- 
ers, and  privilege  taxes  went  kiting,  even  to 
twenty-five  dollars  for  the  day. 

County  Court  day,  First  Monday,  for  July,  the 
second  since  the  laborers'  contracts  were  re- 
formed, opened  auspiciously  for  the  vendors  of 
licenses,  for  there  was  a  cordon  of  wagons  and 
platforms  on  both  sides  of  the  oblong  square. 
The  black  mass  of  negro  humanity  within  the 
commercial  rampart  promised  a  good  harvest  to 
the  peddlers. 

Entering  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  open. 


376  In  the  Wake  of  War 

one  came  first  upon  a  light  spring  wagon,  painted 
red,  white,  and  bhie.  The  proprietor  stood  on 
a  seat,  calling  and  waving  his  hands  lustily  to 
attract  his  share  of  the  crowd.  He  wore  an  old 
silk  hat  upon  the  back  of  his  head,  had  his  whis- 
kers cut  after  the  pattern  of  Abraham  Lincoln; 
and,  aside  from  outlandish  ta^te  in  dress,  some- 
what resembled  the  picture  of  the  martyred  Presi- 
dent. His  cravat  was  in  national  colors.  Surely 
he  was  a  patriotic  man;  those  who  flaunt  the  flag 
most  vulgarly,  pass  for  patriots.  After  this  indi- 
vidual had  drawn  a  reasonable  crowd  by  voice 
and  gyration,  he  unfolded  his  licensed  mission  as 
follows:  "Ladies  and  gentlemen!  my  name  is 
Smith;  I  am  a  Yankee  from  Connecticut,  come 
down  here  as  a  representative  of  the  great  and 
good  Government  that  has  set  you  free.  I  am 
here  to  do  you  each  and  all  a  great  benefit.  I 
love  my  colored  brethren;  I  am  anxious  to  get 
them  settled  in  life.  You  know  that  this  South- 
ern country  is  all  yours;  these  farms  all  belong  to 
you,  and  very  soon  the  Government  is  coming 
down  here  to  divide  these  lands  among  you.  You 
have  heard  of  that  before,  but  I  auj  here  direct 
from  Washington  and  want  to  tell  you  that  the 
time  will  soon  be  up.  These  old  Eebels  who 
have  wliipped,  and  kicked,  and  cuffed  you  for 
a  thousand  years  back,  are  all  going  to  be  driven 
out.  '  De  marster  run,  ha,  ha,  de  darky  stay, 
ho,  ho,'  will  be  exactly  true.  Now,  this  is  your 
country,  remember  that.  But  when  the  Govern- 
ment comes  down  here  to  divide  this  land,  how 
are  they  to  know  what  land  you  want  ?  The 
Government  is  very   busy  and   you  must  do  all 


Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors  377 

you  can  to  help  tliein  out;  you  must  be  ready  for 
them.  There  is  only  one  way:  Just  stake  off 
your  land,  with  authorized  stakes,  and  when  the 
Government  comes,  you  will  get  your  title.  The 
Government  will  have  no  time  to  survey  and 
drive  stakes.  I  am  right  straight  from  Washing- 
ton, and  while  there  I  bought  a  lot  of  registered 
stakes,  the  only  kind  that  the  Government  will 
recognize.  I  bought  them  at  a  bargain,  I  have 
the  inside  track  through  General  Grant." 

The  orator  stopped  for  breath,  and  held  up  two 
common  wood  stakes,  about  an  inch  square  and 
a  foot  long,  pointed  at  one  end.  They  were 
painted  red,  white  and  blue,  like  diminutive 
barber-poles. 

"Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  will  tell  you 
how  to  use  them.  Go  out  anywhere  and  pick  out 
forty  acres  of  the  best  land  you  can  find ;  no  matter 
where  it  is,  no  odds  who  claims  to  own  it.  Drive 
down  a  stake  at  each  corner,  and  when  the  Gov- 
ernment comes,  this  forty  acres  will  be  yours;  for 
no  old  Rebel  will  interfere  with  you;  these  Rebels 
are  afraid  of  stakes  from  Washington.  The  price 
of  these  beautiful  red,  white  and  blue,  painted, 
sandpapered  and  varnished  stakes,  is  only  one  dol- 
lar. These,  like  the  one  I  hold  in  my  left  hand, 
having  the  picture  of  Father  Abe  on  it,  are  only 
one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  each.  Remember  these 
are  the  only  registered  stakes  outside  of  Wash- 
ington ;  they  are  cheap  at  five  dollars  each.  Now, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  you  see  I  am  here  to  help 
the  poor  colored  people  to  get  rich.  Who  will 
buy  the  first  stake  ?  "  A  very  black  negro,  stand- 
ing near  the  wagon,  cried,  "I,  suh;  gimme  fo'." 


378  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"  Do  jou  want  one  with  the  picture  of  our  dear 
murdered  President  on  it?"  asked  the  philan- 
thropist. 

"  Yas,  suh;  I  wans  dat  fo'  de  main  co'ner," 
answered  the  first  purchaser,  who  proved  to  be  a 
stranger  and  was  in  all  probability  a  hired  decoy. 

"A  wise  brother,"  shouted  the  merchant  in  the 
wagon.  "The  colored  brother  is  learning  how  to 
get  rich.  Keep  right  on,  dear  brother;  keep  right 
on,  and  you  will  be  as  rich  as  Croesus,  some  day. 
Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  next  ?  " 

He  did  a  large  business;  before  noon  every  stake 
was  sold  out  of  his  wagon,  and  he  drove  back  to 
the  railroad  station  where  he  had  a  carload,  and 
replenished  his  stock. 

Just  below  his  wagon,  on  a  raised  platform,  was 
a  voodoo  doctor  openly  practicing  his  nefarious 
craft.  He  had  in  his  pocket  a  license,  bearing 
the  name  of  the  county  clerk  and  the  seal  of  the 
County  of  Williams.  The  exercise  of  this  dia- 
bolical trade  was  prohibited  by  every  civilized 
government  in  the  world,  except  the  business 
administration  of  the  South. 

A  little  further  down  was  another  democrat 
wagon,  and  the  strong-lunged  occupant  was  dis- 
coursing on  hoop-skirts. 

"Here,  ladies,  are  your  great  American,  Mrs. 
Lincoln,  hoop-skirts.  I  call  them  the  Mrs.  Lin- 
coln hoop-skirts;  and  why  ?  because  they  are  made 
on  the  pattern  worn  by  the  widow  of  your  dear 
deliverer.  Here  is  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Lincoln  en- 
dorsing my  hoop-skirts.  She  says  they  are  the 
latest  style  and  that  she  approves  of  them.  You 
can't  trust  your  merchants  down  here;   they  are 


Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors  379 

all  Rebels.  They  won't  sell  you  hoop-skirts,  any- 
way. I  am  from  Indiana,  where  every  lady,  black 
and  white,  wears  hoop-skirts.  If  these  Rebels 
get  control  of  this  country  again  they  won't  let 
you  colored  ladies  wear  hoop-skirts;  they  will 
make  it  against  the  law.  But  we  are  running 
this  country.  Now,  who  will  bo  the  fii'st  to  buy 
one  of  these  beautiful  skirts  1  Only  two  dollars 
and  a  half  each;  worth  five  or  six  dollars." 
While  keeping  a  running  fire  of  this  commercial 
eloquence,  the  fellow  did  a  large  business.  His 
goods  were  worthless;  but  they  had  red  bands  and 
brass  buckles,  and  sold  rapidly. 

Next  came  a  fright,  in  personal  appearance. 
His  blonde  hair  hung  in  pipe-stem  curls  half-way 
down  his  back;  he  wore  a  great  white  sombrero, 
with  wide,  flaring  brim.  "Here's  your  face 
and  hands  bleach,  ladies  and  gents.  This  won- 
derful preparation  is  warranted  to  change  the 
color  of  yom*  skin  from  black  to  white.  It 's 
made  'way  up  in  Yermont,  by  a  secret  and  won- 
derful process.  It  is  endorsed  by  General  Grant, 
President  Johnson,  and  your  Governor.  The 
preachers  all  over  the  country  declare  it  is  won- 
derful stuff,  I  can't  tell  you  all  about  its  make, 
but  I  '11  tell  you  a  little.  Away  up  in  Vermont 
the  swamp-elm  trees  grow  very  big,  as  wide 
across  as  my  buggy  box  is  long.  We  cut  down 
a  tree,  scoop  out  the  top  of  the  stump  until  it  will 
hold  about  half  a  barrel  of  water.  On  Friday 
night,  the  last  Friday  in  the  month,  in  the  dark 
of  the  moon,  a  terrible  thunder-storm  comes  up, 
and  the  rain  falls  into  this  scooped-out  place  and 
fills  it  plumb  full.     If  the  lightning  strikes  a  tree 


380  In  the  Wake  of  War 

within  one  hundred  yards  of  this  stump,  we  know 
that  the  water  is  perfect.  We  let  the  water  stand 
in  the  stump  until  the  thirteenth  day  of  the  next 
month,  then  we  dip  it  out  carefully,  so  as  to  make 
no  blubbers,  and  submit  it  to  a  secret  process. 
Now  that  I  have  told  you  honestly  and  truthfully 
about  my  wonderful  bleach,  who  will  be  the  first 
to  buy  ?  Only  one  dollar  for  one  of  these  beauti- 
ful bottles  of  this  wonderful  bleach.  Ah,  thank 
you  lady.     Who  next  ?  " 

Business  rolled  in  on  this  benefactor  of  a  race 
of  despised  color,  but  he  found  time  to  continue 
his  harangue.  "  These  Rebels  hate  you  because 
you  are  black.  They  won't  let  you  marry  white 
men  and  women,  simply  because  you  are  black. 
Use  my  wonderful  bleach,  and  then  you  can 
marry  anybody.  Just  as  good  for  gentlemen  as 
it  is  for  ladies.  Five  bottles  are  warranted  to 
change  the  blackest  skin  to  pure  white,  and  leave 
nice  red  cheeks  into  the  bargain.  One  dollar  per 
bottle,  live  bottles,  with  my  picture  thrown  in. 
for  five  dollars." 

As  an  evidence  of  good  faith,  this  enterprising 
fellow  took  the  names  of  all  who  bought.  He 
promised  to  come  and  see  them  the  following 
First  Monday,  and  feared  he  should  not  recognize 
them  as  white  persons. 

Then  came  a  woman,  in  fantastic  dress,  selling 
love  potions.  The  stuff,  whatever  it  was,  came 
in  three  papers,  like  doctor's  powders,  only  the 
wrappers  were  red,  white  and  blue.  She  prom- 
ised, on  her  word  of  honor  as  a  lady,  that  these 
powders  would  conquer  the  most  obstinate  person 
living,  "And  without  any  regard  to  color,"  she 


Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors  381 

cried.  "For  instance,  you  are  a  colored  lady 
and  love  some  gent.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to 
give  him  the  powder  in  the  red  paper,  and  before 
the  end  of  twenty-foar  hours  he  will  love  yon. 
But  before  giving  the  red  powder  to  him,  you 
must  take  the  blue  powder  yourself.  When  all  is 
lovely,  mix  the  white  powder  in  water,  and  both 
drink  of  it;  then  you  will  love  forever.  Oh, 
love,  love  !  that  makes  the  world  go  round  !  Only 
fifty  cents  for  the  three  !  Who  next  ?  Come  up 
ladies  and  gentlemen;  be  happy,  be  happy!" 
This    creature   sold   a  bushel    of   these    powders. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  square  there  was  a  no 
less  choice  collection  of  merchandisers. 

' '  Warranted  to  cure  rheumatism,  gentlemen !  ' ' 
shouted  one  from  the  top  of  an  overturned  goods 
box.  "  You  have  all  had  that  tired  pain  in  your 
arms  and  legs,  especially  in  the  morning  after 
a  hard  day's  work.  That  is  rheumatism.  I  had 
it  for  twenty  years;  I  now  carry  this  little  brown 
charm  in  my  pocket  and  have  not  had  an  ache  or 
pain  since."  The  charm  was  a  nut  from  the 
buckeye  tree.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  faker 
sold  great  quantities  of  these  worthless  nuts,  at 
fifty  cents  each. 

From  a  spring  wagon  near  the  rheumatism  doc- 
tor came  a  mighty  voice:  "  Ladies  and  gentlemen, 
I  am  the  discoverer  of  a  wonderful  hair  straight- 
ener  and  bleach.  My  name  is  Professor  Mc  Iwen, 
and  I  come  from  Washington,  the  home  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln.  This  beautiful  lady  that  you  see 
sitting  in  my  wagon,"  pointing  to  a  rather  flashy 
looking  person,  of  the  variety  described  by  a  great 
American  humorist  as  ' '  saleratus  blonde, "  "  this 


382  In  the  Wake  of  War 

lady  once  had  hair  as  black  and  kinky  as  any  of 
you.  Did  n't  you,  Arabella  ?  "  Arabella  nodded 
assent.  "  My  hair  bleach  and  straiglitener  did  the 
business.  Didn't  it,  Arabella?"  Again  Ara- 
bella nodded  approval.  "  And  ladies  and  gentle- 
men, it  's  only  one  dollar  per  bottle.  Come  up  ! 
Come  up  !  !  Come  up  !  !  !  and  buy  the  only  Pro- 
fessor Mc  I  wen's  straightener  and  bleach. "  The 
presence  of  the  fair  Arabella  seemed  to  help  trade. 
She  took  in  the  money,  smiling  patronizingly  on 
every  black  face  that  brought  its  dollar. 

Next  came  the  vendor  of  halter-straps.  He 
had  a  choice  collection  of  straps,  of  proper  length, 
with  a  brass-plated  snap  on  the  end.  "  You  know, 
gentlemen,  that  you  are  to  have  a  mule  to  go  with 
that  forty  acres  of  land.  How  can  you  lead  him 
away  after  the  Government  has  given  him  to  you  ? 
Not  with  a  rope,  for  these  Rebels  would  take  him 
away  from  you.  These  elegant  straps  came  from 
Washington,  right  out  of  Congress  building.  Ev- 
ery old  Rebel  knows  them;  every  old  Rebel  trem- 
bles when  he  sees  them.  Buy  one  for  your  mule; 
you  will  have  to  have  it.  Only  one  dollar  to-day; 
two  dollars  after  sun-down  to-night.  The  Supreme 
Court  of  this  great  Government  has  decided  these 
halter-straps  good  and  valid.  Get  ready  for  the 
great   mule   division!     Who  next?    who  next?" 

In  a  rusty  tent  sat  a  twisted  crone,  made  up  to 
look  old  and  wrinkled  like  the  proverbial  witch. 
From  a  cracked  scrap  of  looking-glass  she  was 
reading  the  destinies  of  such  of  the  poor,  igno- 
rant blacks  as  her  "business  agent,"  who  stood 
in  front  of  the  swinging  flaps,  could  induce  to  pay 
one  dollar  for  a  forecast.     She  had  no  word  of 


Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors  383 

discouragement;  the  future  for  all  was  bright  and 
roseate.  Farm  laborers  who  could  neither  read 
nor  write  were  promised  judgeships,  the  rank  of 
major-general,  or  seats  in  Congress  —  each  ac- 
cording to  his  desire.  The  wealth  of  the  globe 
was  freely  pledged;  the  negro  was  already  in- 
oculated with  the  virus  of  our  civilization,  be- 
fore he  had  come  to  full  participation,  and  had 
taken  on  a  desire  to  own  and  control  things,  and 
a  mania  for  money.  The  direct  and  positive  as- 
surances of  this  chartered  impostor  brought  her 
enormous  business;  the  poor  people  anxiously 
awaited  their  turn  to  be  swindled. 

A  fitting  neighbor  to  this  charlatan  was  Pro- 
fessor Bumper,  who  declared  that  he  was  the 
most  celebrated,  world-renowned,  much-sought- 
after  phrenologist,  living  or  dead.  That  was  his 
statement,  and  no  person  stood  up  to  challenge 
the  claim.  After  a  long  and  tiresome  discom'se 
on  the  beauties  and  advantages  of  the  exact  sci- 
ence that  had  claimed  the  best  years  of  his  life,  he 
induced  a  few  woolly  heads  to  be  examined,  and 
wrote  out  charts  of  great  intellectual  promise. 
The  ever-duped  negroes  paid  two  dollars  for  each 
of  these  performances,  although  not  one  of  the 
investors  could  read  the  diagram  of  his  mental 
possibilities. 

There  was  a  plenty  of  other  swindlers  and  fa- 
kers; there  was  not  an  honest  enterprise  under 
license.  The  legal  guardian  of  the  negro,  the 
National  Government,  was  asleep;  the  agent  of 
this  guardian  had  yielded  to  temptation;  the  natu- 
ral guardian,  the  white  man  of  the  South,  was 
helpless,  voiceless. 


384  In  the  Wake  of  War 

In  the  face  of  scenes  like  those  enacted  at 
Kosciusko,  and  scores  of  other  Southern  cities  in 
those  dark  days,  the  beautiful  old  allegory  of 
Christian  and  Faithful  becomes  weak  and  pointless. 
The  scurvy  traffic  set  up  by  Beelzebub,  Apollyon 
and  Legion,  in  the  dream-made  City  of  Vanity, 
was  eclipsed  in  a  hundred  places  in  our  own  fair 
land.  Poor  John  Bunyan  !  The  utmost  flight 
of  his  magnificent  fancy  was  discredited  a  thou- 
sand times  by  Carpet-Bagger  ingenuity  ! 

Yery  few  negroes  carried  any  money  from  the 
public  square  on  the  evening  of  the  second  gen- 
eral holida3\  Yet  the  press  of  the  North  exploited 
the  parental  foresight  that  had  provided  to  the 
poor  freedmen  one  day  in  each  month  for  frolic. 

After  the  close  of  a  successful  day  of  merchan- 
dising, the  imposters,  in  company  with  their  co- 
conspirators, the  officers,  betook  themselves  to 
a  meeting  of  the  League.  They  all  were  mem- 
bers. And  such  of  the  colored  people  as  had  the 
hardihood  to  go  out  after  night,  got  much  valuable 
advice  and  instruction  from  the  visiting  brethren. 

At  midnight  the  drowsy  old  town  of  Kosciusko 
had  resumed  its  normal  state,  and  was  sound 
asleep.  Everything  was  quiet.  Nor  did  the  ten 
men  in  fantastic,  flowing  robes,  each  riding  a 
horse  with  muffled  feet  and  blanket  reaching  to 
the  ground,  disturb  the  general  quiet.  They 
awakened  only  a  few  of  the  occupants  in  the  old 
hotel.  But  such  of  the  trafficking  knaves  as  were 
driving  through  the  country  practicing  their  in- 
famous trades  from  wagons,  found,  when  they  had 
dressed  with  the  help  of  the  masked  men,  their 
horses   geared    and    waiting    at    the    door.      The 


Vanity  Fair,  Done  in  Colors  385 

women  were  not  disturbed.  Those  who  were  not 
provided  with  conveyances  were  invited  to  take 
seats;  and  the  whole  cavalcade  moved  out  of 
the  town  toward  the  North,  under  guard  of  the 
ten  mysterious  horsemen.  Not  a  word  was 
spoken;  the  captives  made  no  show  of  indiscre- 
tion. Three  miles  out  the  leader  of  the  escort 
delivered  a  short  address,  which  the  other  nine 
repeated  in  unison,  like  responsive  reading.  They 
advised  the  swindlers  to  betake  themselves  to  their 
old  fields,  and  never  again  to  return  to  Kosciusko, 
for  fear  of  inciting  the  wrath  of  the  Mystic  Den 
of  the  *  *.  This  wholesome  advice  closed  with 
the  chorus:  "  So  says  the  Grand  Cyclops,  and  he 
must  be  obeyed." 

Towards  morning  a  bonfire  broke  out  on  the 
square,  but  the  town  did  not  awake.  The  next 
day,  as  the  men  met  to  whittle  sticks  and  discuss 
the  affairs  of  First  Monday,  they  were  attracted 
by  a  pile  of  reeking  ashes.  Nobody  seemed  to 
understand  it.  "Some  mischievous  urchins  have 
been  burnin'  goods  boxes,  I  reckon, "  said  one. 
But  when  they  saw  the  charred  butts  of  some 
painted  stakes,  a  few  brass-plated  snaps,  masses 
of  molten  glass  and  a  dozen  buckeyes  about  the 
suburbs  of  the  recent  conflagration,  they  allowed 
that  something  might  have  happened  during  the 
night. 

The  negroes  had  defenders,  or  rather  avengers; 
and  vengeance  is  often  the  most  available  substi- 
tute for  defense. 


25 


XXXVIII 
In  Which  the  *  *  Extends  Its  Beneficent  Operations 

THE  moral  effect  of  this,  the  iBjst  systematic 
raid  of  Mystic  Den,  was  remarkable.  The 
absolute  secrecy  of  the  expedition,  the  wonderful 
precision  of  movement,  the  mystery  of  numbers 
and  personnel,  the  daring  of  the  enterprise  in 
conception  and  execution,  more  than  all  else,  the 
perfect  and  harmonious  success  of  the  whole 
affair,  showed  an  unknown  master-liand  that  few 
were  ready  to  cope  with.  The  fame  of  the  inva- 
sion spread  like  gossip;  people  began  to  ask  one 
of  another:  "  Where  do  these  spooks  come  from? 
Who  leads  them?"  No  one  could  tell.  Only 
ten  men  in  the  world  knew,  and  they  have  never 
spoken.  The  most  intimate  friends,  even  the 
families  of  the  participants  in  that  brief  adven- 
ture, never  knew  the  names  of  those  who  rode  in 
the  silent  escort. 

To  the  ten  this  incomprehensible  property  was 
a  source  of  some  satisfaction,  and  perhaps,  of 
inward  pride.  In  fact,  the  thing  was  getting  too 
good  to  keep,  so  they  agreed  to  extend  the  mem- 
bership. Numbers  judiciously  selected  would  add 
strength,  both  in  suggestion  and  performance  — 
a  hundred  men  of  proper  quality  could  be  trusted 
as  well  as  ten.  Accordingly,  at  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Den,  each  member  suggested  the  name  of 
a  friend,  and  then  and  there  the  community  was 
doubled. 

386 


The  *  *  Extends  Its  Operations  387 

From  that  night  the  meetings  lost  their  infor- 
mality; henceforth  full  and  elaborate  ceremony 
was  observed.  Members  lost  their  individnality; 
the  name  of  no  man  was  spoken.  All  were  dis- 
guised; neither  face  nor  form  could  be  recognized 
under  the  flowing  gown  of  the  order.  Thus  the 
accident  that  first  invented  and  played  a  trick  to 
keep  the  negroes  from  carousing  at  night,  now 
became  a  serious  business;  it  was  a  wonderful 
power;  it  made  history,  and  restrained  many  a 
foul  act  that  otherwise  would  have  polluted  the 
page  of  history. 

Conscious  of  strength,  the  members  began  to 
consider  methods  for  regulating  all  the  abuses 
that  were  reported.  But  remedies  were  not 
always  at  hand;  plan  as  they  would,  only  a  small 
proportion  of  the  cases  were  met.  The  inge- 
nuity of  the  Carpet-Baggers  for  creating  outrage, 
exceeded  their  genius  for  defense. 

The  meeting  at  which  the  membership  was 
increased,  was  otherwise  an  important  one. 
After  the  strange  ceremony  of  initiation  had  been 
enacted,  and  the  order,  "Protection  of  Women 
and  Children"  was  called,  several  instances  of 
flagrant  insults  to  ladies  from  the  negroes  were 
related.  The  word  dropped  by  Felix  Grayson 
to  the  negro  woman,  Maria,  had  brought  abun- 
dant harvest.  Ladies  had  been  driven  from  the 
sidewalk  into  the  gutter,  had  been  jeered  and 
hooted  at  on  the  street,  and  were  daily  suflPering 
other  indignities.  In  every  case  the  negroes  were 
well  known;  there  was  no  danger  of  mistaken 
identity.  In  fact,  four  negro  men  seemed  to 
have  been  detailed  to  administer  these  humiliations. 


388  In  the  Wake  of  War 

During  the  discussion  that  followed,  one  rather 
tall  young  man  arose  and  said;  "May  it  please 
the  Grand  Cyclops  to  listen  to  the  humble  sugges- 
tion of  a  faithful  Ghoul!  These  poor,  ignorant 
blacks  are  not  to  blame  for  this  conduct,  bad  as  it 
is;  they  are  but  the  tools  of  designing  men.  We 
ought,  if  possible,  to  reach  the  source  of  all  this 
infamy  —  the  cowardly  officials  at  Kosciusko. 
Surely  the  negroes  will  have  to  be  checked,  or 
they  will  make  this  country  uninhabitable  for 
white  people,  except  of  a  certain  stripe  and  kid- 
ney. But  their  punishment  ought  to  be  inciden- 
tal. Let's  first  try  and  reach  the  power  that 
invents  and  incites  all  this  deviltry;  we  can  attend 
to  Cuffy  any  time." 

"Will  the  White  Gown  suggest,  not  general- 
ize?" asked  the  Grand  Cj^clops. 

"I  can't  quite  make  out  how  to  do  what  it 
seems  to  me  ought  to  be  done.  Can  not  some 
Ghoul  here  tell  us  some  way  of  getting  at  the 
powers  at  Kosciusko  ? ' '  appealed  the  tirst  speaker. 

"Duck  'em  in  the  Creek, ""  cried  another,  from 
behind  his  mask. 

"That  never  would  do;  we  must  keep  our 
watercourses  clear,"   said  the  Grand  Cyclops. 

"The  suggestion  of  the  Ghoul  that  first  spoke 
is  very  humane,  but  it 's  not  sense.  We  can  get 
at  those  fellows  in  Kosciusko  quickest  and  best 
through  the  negroes.  Already  this  circle  has  cut 
off  three-fourths  of  the  abuses,  simply  by  opera- 
ting on  the  blacks.  Let 's  follow  up  our  previous 
successes;  we  're  working  along  proper  lines. 
These  loafers  that  spend  their  time  standing  on 
street    corners   for  the  purpose  of   insulting  and 


The  *  *  Extends  Its  Operations  389 

terrorizing  our  ladies,  know  better.  All  they 
need  is  to  have  their  memory  jogged  a  little,  and 
then  they  will  realize  what  they  know  already, 
namely:  This  is  the  white  man's  country.  That 
done,  we  shall  have  no  further  trouble  on  the 
score.  I  propose,  may  it  please  the  Grand 
Cyclops,  that  these  negroes  who  are  known 
beyond  a  doubt  to  be  offenders,  be  given  ten 
lashes  each." 

"Ten  lashes  each,  is  the  decree,"  said  the 
Grand  Cyclops,   in  a  sepulchral  tone. 

"Ten  lashes  each,  is  the  decree,"  repeated 
twenty  muffled   voices. 

Two  nights  after  this,  eight  horsemen,  ac- 
coutred as  the  ten  were  on  the  night  following 
First  Monday,  rode  silently  into  Kosciusko,  and 
straight .  to  the  cabins  in  which  the  four  offenders 
lived.  They  took  the  negroes  from  their  beds, 
and  without  ado  carried  them  to  the  outskirts  of 
the  town,  where  each  was  given  a  lecture  in  two 
parts:  first,  on  the  predominance  of  the  white 
man;  second,  on  the  crime  of  an  insult  from 
a  black  man  to  a  white  woman.  Then  the  decree 
of  the  Den  was  executed  in  most  parental 
manner. 

This  was  the  first  case  of  corporal  punishment 
inflicted  by  the  *  *  .  It  was  done  to  save  the 
South  for  a  white  man's  country.  It  was  done  in 
the  name  of  Home.  The  crime  thus  avenged  was 
enormous,  not  so  much  in  the  act,  as  in  the  prece- 
dent, for  if  it  had  been  left  unchecked  it  would 
have  resulted  in  social  overthrow  for  the  Section. 
The  punishment  was  unauthorized  by  law,  but  it 
was  inadequate  justice. 


390  In  the  Wake  of  War 

For  weeks  after  this  incident  matters  moved 
quietly.  Negroes  under  contract  stayed  at  their 
work.  The  Union  League  was  mighty  near  de- 
serted, save  by  the  loafers  who  refused  to  bind 
themselves  by  contract,  and  lived  on  the  meagre 
bounty  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  This  latter 
class  had  been  relied  upon  to  do  odd  jobs  and 
dirty  work  for  the  officers,  but  since  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Silent  Army,  they  had  become  con- 
firmed vagabonds  —  they  would  not  work,  even 
for  the  men  who  gave  them  scanty  rations. 

The  officers  once  more  attempted  to  bring 
about  a  strike,  and  failing  of  this,  they  began 
a  systematic  effort  to  conquer  the  superstition  of 
the  negro.  For  immediate  results,  they  under- 
took new  fields  of  enterprise;  they  gave  more 
attention  to  State  politics. 


XXXIX 

Another  Glimpse  at  Home  Life 

INVITATIONS  were  issued  for  a  quiet  wedding 
at  Saunders'  Lodge.  Thej  were  not  elaborate, 
nor  expensive;  they  even  were  not  engraved,  but 
were  written  in  a  plain,  readable  hand  by  Mary 
Lou.  Civilization  had  not  then  reached  that  ad- 
vanced stage  when  to  have  one's  handwriting  read 
was  a  positive  disgrace. 

The  Graysons,  the  Lewises,  the  Bosworths,  and 
three  other  families  were  honored  with  these  mod- 
est missives.  Captain  Avery  was  asked  on  the 
special  request  of  Howard,  and  as  a  compromise 
with  Mr.  Dodge,  who  wanted  to  have  present  the 
whole  kit  and  boodle  of  authority  at  Kosciusko. 
He  wanted  to  show  them  "How  we  do  business 
down  here  in  the  South." 

In  spite  of  Mr.  Dodge,  the  event  was  the  very 
refinement  of  simplicity.  Again  every  Southern 
gentleman  present  declared,  on  his  favorite  exple- 
tive, that  the  bride  was  the  most  beautiful  that 
ever  stood  at  the  altar.  And  they  all  meant  it, 
too.  Major  Lewis  was  especially  eloquent. 
Avery  protested,  in  an  aside  to  Mary  Lou,  that 
he  knew  of  only  one  young  lady  in  the  land  who 
could  excel  Margaret  in  bridal  loveliness,  but  he 
was  not  asked  to  name  that  person. 

Ranged  back  of  the  white  guests,  like  a  black 
fringe,  were  Pleas,  Uncle  Phil,  Aunt  Manda,  and 
old  Uncle  Sam.     Aunt  Manda  kissed  both  bride 

391 


392  In  the  Wake  of  War 

and  groom;  Uncle  Phil  distinguished  himself  with 
several  fervent  responses  of  "Ahman."  These 
he  did  not  bestow  with  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
printed  ceremony,  but  he  made  good  with  Metho- 
dist zeal  and  Episcopalian  accent. 

For  this  occasion  the  Grayson  family  jewels 
were  raised  from  the  bottom  of  Opal  Creek,  where 
they  were  deposited  early  in  the  war  by  Uncle 
Phil,  and  were  divided  equally  between  Margaret 
and  Mary  Lou.  The  latter  made  her  protest,  se- 
rious and  honest,  insisting  that  Margaret  should 
have  them  all;    but  the  division  stood. 

Contrary  to  custom,  the  bride  bestowed  upon 
the  groom  a  gift,  unique  and  rare.  In  the  pres- 
ence of  the  assembled  company,  Margaret  deliv- 
ered to  Howard  the  sealed  envelope  that  had  so 
long  been  in  the  keeping  of  Mary  Lou.  On  be- 
ing opened,  it  was  found  to  contain  the  long-lost 
deed  from  Mr.  Dodge  to  Margaret,  executed  in 
Canada,  and  a  like  conveyance  from  her  to  How- 
ard Grayson.  The  latter  instrument  was  acknowl- 
edged at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  in  November,  1862. 
There  was  a  brief  letter  enclosed,  but  this  was  not 
displayed.     It  ran: 

' '  My  dear  Howard :  — 

Please  keep  Mother's  grave  sacred,  and  never  let  it 
pass  into  the  neglect  of  strangers.  This  is  the  last 
wish  of  your  Margaret." 

When  Mr.  Dodge  saw  the  deeds  he  cried: 
"  Ah,  Howard,  just  the  very  thing  !  You  remem- 
ber I  told  you  as  much,  six  weeks  ago;  there  is 
your  title.  John  Dodge  always  keeps  his  word, 
yes,  siree  !  This  will  make  a  fine  addition  to 
Elmington;    just  what  you  need.      But  Margaret 


Another  Glimpse  at  Home  Life  393 

played  it  on  her  father;  yes,  yes.  Oh,  she  's  her 
father's  daughter;  she 's  smart.  I  congratulate 
you  again,  Howard,  my  son  !  This  has  been  a 
good  business  stroke  for  you;  always  keep  your 
eyes  open  for  a  good  business  stroke.  I  suppose 
you  will  let  me  stay  here  a  little  time;  you  won't 
throw  me  out  this  evening?  " 

"  There  v/ill  be  no  change  here,"  said  Howard, 
thoughtfully.  "I  don't  quite  understand  this 
matter;  but  I  reckon  Margaret  has  plans,  and 
being  a  married  man,  I  must  consult  my  wife." 

"That's  right,  Howard,  that's  right;  always 
consult  your  wife.  That 's  the  way  I  used  to  do, 
and  things  went  pleasantly  at  Saunders'  Lodge. 
The  man  who  don't  consult  his  wife  is  in  trouble, 
then  and  there.  Women  like  to  have  a  man 
running  to  them  for  advice;  it  makes  them  feel 
important.  Of  course,  they  have  no  advice  to 
give;  they  always  say,  'Do  as  you  think  best,  my 
dear,'  but  that  is  a  big  consolation;  yes,  siree. 
If  I  do  well  when  I  get  up  North  again,  I  '11  give 
you  and  Margaret  the  whole  plantation;  and  it  's 
as  good  as  yours  to-day,  for  I  shall  make  money 
up  there.  Lots  of  business  up  there,  and  such  a 
climate  !  You  ought  to  see  that  climate  !  No 
biliousness  up  there.     It  saved  my  life  in  '61." 

Mr.  Dodge  monopolized  the  conversation  for 
two  hours,  but  the  substance  of  his  utterances  is 
already  recorded. 

When  Avery  was  preparing  to  take  leave,  he 
said  to  Mary  Lou:  "  May  I  call  to  see  you  to- 
morrow afternoon;  and  can  we  have  one  more 
of  those  old-time  rides  ?  I  have  new  orders  and 
shall  soon  be  leaving  this  part  of  the  country." 


394  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"You  to  leave  Williams  County,  Captain 
Avery  ?  We-all  shall  miss  you  from  our  narrow, 
little  lives.     I  hope  you  are  not  going  soon?  " 

'  Very  soon,  if  I  remain  in  the  service.  After 
hearing  Mr.  Dodge  discourse  on  the  value  of 
ladies'  advice,  I  decided  to  ask  you  for  some." 

"  Oh,  I  warn  you  that  we  women  advise  en- 
tirely from  the  point  of  our  interest,  or  whim. 
Major  Lewis  says  we  have  no  interests,  only 
whims,  and  I  believe  he  is  right.  We  shall  be 
glad  to  see  you  at  Elmington  to-morrow;  Marga- 
ret and  Howard  will  be  there. ' ' 

"Can't  we  have  just  one  more  ride  ?  ' 

"That  is  delightfully  plaintive,  for  a  soldier, 
and  a  fierce  Yankee  soldier,  at  that.  Let  me  tell 
you,  Captain  Avery,  we  girls  love  to  be  pleaded 
with  more  than  to  be  advised  with.  Perhaps  we 
may  ride;  don't  ask  me  to  promise  so  far  ahead." 

Not  daunted  by  this  pleasantry,  Captain  Avery 
appeared  before  Elmington  the  following  day, 
mounted  on  a  hired  horse  and  leading  Pomp  for 
Mary  Lou.  She  made  several  flimsy  excuses, 
expressly  to  see  if  the  Captain  would  have  the 
courage  to  attack  and  demolish  them.  Howard 
and  Margaret  finally  came  to  the  rescue,  and  sent 
Mary  Lou  to  dress  for  the  ride,  for  Avery  was 
showing  signs  of  defeat. 

"Your  brother  is  a  very  happy  man,"  said 
Avery,   to  start  the  conversation. 

' '  Why  should  he  not  be  ?  Margaret  is  the 
sweetest  and  best  thing  on  earth  !  She  is  just 
perfect;  I  would  not  change  one  thing  in  her,  if 
I  could.  Beautiful,  bright,  stylish,  sweet-tem- 
pered, resolute;  what  else  could  one  ask?" 


Another  Glimpse  at  Home  Life  395 

"  She  is  all  you  claim,  except  the  sweetest 
thing  on  earth.  I  know  another  who  has  all  the 
graces,  and  adds  one  more  quality — an  artistic 
nature." 

' '  A  Yankee,  I  reckon  ? ' ' 

"Well,  no,  not  exactly  a  Yankee,"  answered 
Avery,  quick  to  grasp  what  he  thought  was  an 
advantage.  ' '  Wish  she  were  a  Yankee ;  perhaps 
she  would  not  treat  me  so  contemptuously,  if  she 
were. ' ' 

"Oh,  Margaret  has  a  highly  artistic  tempera- 
ment; that  is  what  I  mean  by  stylish,"  said  Mary 
Lou,  affecting  not  to  notice  his  last  remark. 
"Why  were  you  trying  to  shock  us  yesterday 
evening  by  saying  that  you  were  going  away?  " 

"  I  meant  exactly  what  I  said,  Miss  Mary  Lou," 
answered  Avery,  bluntly  ' '  I  either  go  or  resign 
from  the  service.  I  tried  a  year  ago  to  consult  with 
you  about  resigning,  but  j'ou  only  made  sport  of 
me.  I  don't  like  to  go  from  here;  I  have  been 
happy  here;  happier  at  Elmington  with  you  pok- 
ing fun  at  me  for  my  misfortune  in  having  been 
born  a  Yankee,  than  in  any  other  place  in  the 
world." 

"I  never  'poke  fun,'  as  you  call  it,  at  your 
misfortunes.  Besides,  I  never  thought  you  were 
ashamed  of  your  birth-land.  I  thought  you  proud 
of  the  hustle,  as  Mr.  Dodge  calls  it,  of  your  peo- 
ple. I  thought  you  hated  Rebels,  one  and  all. 
You  flatter  some  of  us,  just  to  be  agreeable,  but 
you  don't  like  us." 

"That  is  where  you  are  mistaken,  pardon  the 
flat  contradiction.  A  soldier  loves  a  manly  foe 
more  than  he  does  a  dos:  of  a  comrade.     After 


396  fN  THE  Wake  of  War 

all,  I  begin  to  think  that  men  are  better  than 
political  principles.  But  I  don't  want  to  go  away; 
I  can't  do  it.  I  believe  I  '11  just  settle  down  here 
at  Kosciusko,  and  quit  the  service." 

"And  become  sheriff?  That  would  be  well; 
we  shall  then  have  a  more  honorable  officer." 

"  More  honorable  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Pardon  me,  entirely  honorable,  I  am  sure." 

Avery  now  discovered  that  he  was  again  be- 
coming entangled  in  Mary  Lou's  badinage,  but  he 
seemed  helpless  to  straighten  the  skein.  Every 
effort  to  lead  the  conversation  to  a  point  from 
which  he  could  make  a  declaration  in  natural  and 
easy  sequence,  was  unavailing.  She  did  not  ap- 
pear to  be  aware  of  the  trend  of  his  purpose;  she 
evidently  thought  him  flirting,  and  fenced  him 
back  as  one  who  preferred  not  to  meet  him  on 
open  ground.  This  drove  him  to  desperation, 
and  forgetting  all  premeditated  plans,  he  launched 
bluntly  into  the  subject.  He  declared  his  love 
fervently  and  eloquently;  then  zeal  took  full  pos- 
session of  his  faculties,  and  he  argued  it  all  out, 
before  yielding  for  an  answer.  There  was  a  touch 
of  despair  in  his  impassioned  appeal  —  a  brute  fury 
against  conscious  defeat  —  that  was  pathetic. 

It  was  some  moments  before  Mary  Lou  could 
trust  herself  to  speak,  although  the  great  expanse 
of  his  harangue  had  given  her  abundant  time  to 
recover  from  the  shock  of  surprise. 

"This  revelation  pains  me  more  than  I  can  tell. 
Captain  Avery.  I  never  thought  it;  believe  me, 
never  once.  Am  I  to  blame  ?  What  have  I  been 
doing  ?  " 

' '  Then  you  hate  me,  as  I  feared  ! ' ' 


Another  Cliivipse  at  Home  Life  397 

"No!  No!  Please  don't  do  me  that  injus- 
tice. But  there  is  a  wide  space  between  hate  and 
—  and  —  love,  for  friendship  —  for  horse-back 
rides,  for  light  talk,  and  —  and  flirtations." 

"No,  be  frank;  you  hate  me  because  I 'm  a 
Yankee!"  he  said,  almost  savagely. 

"On  the  contrary,  Captain  Avery,  you  are  per- 
sonally very  agreeable  to  me,"  she  answered, 
gently.  "In  your  presence  I  sometimes  forget 
that  you  are  one  of  the  thousands  that  were  try- 
ing for  four  years  to  kill  my  brother." 

"  You  could  not  love  a  Yankee  ?  "  he  insisted. 

"A  woman  never  loves  but  once;  I  can  not  say 
that  I  ever  loved  a  Yankee. ' ' 

"But  your  brother  cherishes  no  resentment." 

"Nor  do  I,  very  much;  although  the  women 
of  the  South  are  not  so  forgiving  as  our  men. 
"We  are  more  narrow;  we  never  had  the  chance 
to  'fight  it  out,'  as  brother  says." 

"Then  I  may  not  even  love  you?" 

"I  think  best  that  you  do  not."  And  there 
was  resolution  in  that  quiet  answer. 

"  Shall  we  have  any  more  rides,  before  I  go  ?  " 

"If  we  can  ride  with  a  perfect  understanding, 
I  do  not  object.  On  second  thought,  perhaps  it 
were    better   not;   I  can  not  answer  that   now." 

They  did  not  ride  again.  Mary  Lou  gave  him 
the  answer  as  he  left  Elmington  that  evening. 
The  next  day,   he  was  gone. 

Mary  Lou  complained  of  a  headache  after  her 
ride  and  took  to  her  room.  Nor  did  she  recover 
the  next  day,  nor  the  day  following  that.  It  was 
a  fierce  struggle;  but,  for  the  time,  the  spirit  of 
the  South  prevailed. 


XL 

Another  Abuse  Is  Corrected 

THE  summer  had  passed;  the  corn  was  laid  by; 
cotton  picking  was  at  hand.  This  particular 
time  of  year  was  the  happiest  of  all,  in  the  olden 
days.  The  negro  always  sang  at  his  work, 
whether  planting,  thinning-out  or  hoeing;  but  the 
song  of  picking  time  was  a  brighter,  cheerier 
melody.  Then  the  work  went  more  rapidly,  in 
fact  it  was  the  only  season  of  rush  on  the  planta- 
tion, for  the  staple  once  ready  for  gathering  must 
be  quickly  taken  from  the  dead  plant  or  an  ill  day 
will  ruin  the  whole  product. 

This  was  the  golden  period  for  a  strike;  the 
officers  at  Kosciusko  were  quick  to  discover  such 
an  opportunity.  A  dozen  black  vagabonds  were 
sent  through  the  county  by  twos,  to  spread 
among  the  negroes  the  order  to  lay  off  from 
work. 

The  second  day  of  their  pilgrimage,  each  pair 
found  hospitable  entertainment  wherever  they 
chanced  to  be  at  evening;  they  found  themselves 
honored  guests,  although  their  arrival  was  appar- 
ently unannounced. 

Pleas  c?ime  upon  the  two  that  delivered  the 
message  to  the  hands  at  Elmington,  seemingly  by 
the  veriest  chance,  and  insisted  that  they  stay  and 
help  at  the  feast  of  'possum,  the  catch  of  the 
night  before.  That  Pleas,  whom  the  colored  men 
thought    a    spy    and    informer,    should    suddenly 

398 


Another  Abuse  Is  Corrected  399 

turn  host,  did  not  militate  against  the  prospective 
dinner,  nor  suggest  a  suspicion  of  motive  to  the 
weary  delegates.  That  they  were  hospitably 
received,  when  those  to  whom  they  brought  mes- 
sages did  not  like  to  be  seen  having  speech  with 
them,  did  not  excite  their  mistrust.  They  only 
remembered  that  they  were  hungry  for  'possum, 
and  that  since  they  had  existed  on  the  meagre 
bounty  of  the  Federal  Government,  their  appe- 
tites for  this  and  all  other  negro  luxuries  had 
grown  painfully  abnormal. 

To  half-fed  negroes,  Pleas's  entertainment  was 
sumptuous.  Had  they  been  less  ravenous,  they 
would  have  noticed  that  a  portion  of  the  food 
must  have  come  from  the  great  house.  But  they 
were  too  content  to  be  analytical,  and  it  was 
quite  dark  when  the  last  bone  was  tossed  into  the 
fireplace  and  they  started  for  home. 

On  some  pretense  of  caution,  the  crafty  host 
had  blown  out  the  light;  and  when  the  cabin 
door  was  opened  there  shone  on  the  middle  panel 
two  stars  of  four  prongs  each,  somewhat  resem- 
bling two  letters  K.  These  symbols  seemed  to 
burn  and  glow  bright  and  clear  in  the  darkness. 
Consternation  took  the  whole  party,  and  they 
refused  to  go  out.  Pleas  affected  to  be  as  badly 
scared  as  any  of  them,  but  he  managed  to 
whisper:  — 

"  H'ist  de  winder;  crawl  out  dat  way.  Caint 
stay  hyear;  'tain'    safe." 

They  managed  to  crawl  through  the  window, 
and  once  outside  quickly  left  the  cabalistic  writing 
behind.  Pleas  guided  them  through  the  house- 
lot  to  the  pike,  and  bade  the  two  disturbers  good- 


400  In  the  Wake  of  War 

night,  and  they  started  off  down  the  road  on  their 
three-mile  tramp  to  town.  They  had  no  fear,  be- 
yond the  ever-present  superstition  of  their  race; 
they  had  quite  forgotten  the  secret  order;  it  had 
not  ridden  for  some  weeks,  and  the  disappear- 
ance of  Eli  had  become  a  legend.  They  thought 
themselves  safe  as  soon  as  they  were  outside  of 
Pleas 's  cabin,  and  trudged  toward  home  without 
concern. 

But  alas  for  human  calculation  !  Scarcely 
were  they  well  on  the  road,  when  they  met  four 
men  on  horseback,  robed  and  accoutered  after  the 
frightful  fashion  of  the  midnight  raiders.  Not  a 
word  was  spoken;  the  two  negroes  stood  shaking 
of  terror;  the  horsemen  made  room,  two  turning 
out  on  either  side.  But  when  they  came  quite 
abreast  of  the  affrighted  negroes  the  riders  sud- 
denly became  monsters.  These  men  on  horse- 
back, who  seemed  at  first  to  be  of  average  height, 
shot  instantly  upward  until  their  heads  were  full 
eight  feet  above  their  horses'  backs.  Accompany- 
ing this  movement  came  an  unearthly  yell. 

The  horses  stopped;  a  heavy,  guttural  voice 
said:  "All  negroes  must  stop  in  their  cabins  at 
night  !  "  And  three  other  heavy,  guttural  voices 
echoed  in  perfect  unison:  "  In — their — cabins;  so 
— says — the — Grand — Cyclops  —  and  —  he — must 
be — obeyed."  And  the  giant  horsemen  rode  on, 
leaving  the  black  men  on  their  knees,  praying  and 
pleading  for  mercy. 

The  other  agitators  had  similar  experiences  in 
different  parts  of  the  county. 

Some  people  believe  to  this  good  day  that  this 
incident  was  a  systematic  and  organized  raid  by 


Another  Abuse  Is  Corrected  401 

the  Order  of  the  Two  Stars.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
the  strike  failed;  cotton  picking  proceeded  ener- 
getically and  uninterruptedly.  The  crop  was 
small,  but  it  was  saved.  The  colored  men  who 
had  worked  for  a  share  closed  the  season  with  a 
good  sum  to  show  for  then*  summer's  toil,  thanks 
to  the  interposition  of  the  secret  order.  For  had 
they  followed  the  instructions  of  their  legal  guard- 
ians, their  crop  more  than  once  would  have  been 
spoiled,  unless  the  white  men  had  paid  the  penalty 
exacted. 

As  it  was,  the  negroes  had  little  left;  the  officers 
were  plentiful  in  schemes  for  getting  their  last 
dollar.  If  the  poor,  ignorant  ward  did  not  buy 
some  worthless  trash  from  the  licensed  swindlers 
that  swarmed  the  country,  or  refused  to  take  a 
chance  in  the  enticing  game  of  "  craps,"  he  was 
induced  to  deposit  his  savings  with  the  Freedmen's 
Savings  and  Trust  Company,  an  illegal  bank, 
chartered  by  Congress.  A  branch  of  this  illicit 
enterprise  was  established  at  Nashville,  and 
Sheriff  Streeter  was  the  agent  in  Kosciusko. 

On  the  cover  of  the  pass-book  of  this  incor- 
porated infamy  was  printed  this  topical  legend: 
"This  Benevolent  institution  is  under  the  charter 
of  Congress,  and  has  received  the  commendation 
and  countenance  of  President  Lincoln."  Seventy- 
two  thousand  deluded  men  under  Governmental 
guardianship  put  their  savings  into  this  wretched 
trap.  When  the  ends  for  which  it  was  chartered 
were  full}'-  attained,  the  befooled  depositors  had 
four  hundred  dollars  in  Government  bonds,  the 
only  available  asset,  to  show  for  nearly  two 
millions  of  savings.     All  the  rest  had  been  stolen 

26 


402  In  the  Wake  of  War 


outright,  or  under  the  flimsy  guise  of  loans  on 
real  and  personal  property.  One  patriotic  and 
philanthropic  person,  blessed  with  the  one  virtue 
of  the  times  —  vulgarly  called  a  "pull"  —  had 
borrowed  fifty  thousand  dollars  of  this  blood- 
money  on  the  pledge  of  his  household  furniture. 
Others,  more  favored,  were  not  embarrassed  by 
being  asked  for  security.  Political  favorites  and 
patriotic  dead-beats  got  the  savings;  the  men  of 
respectability  and  wealth  who  lent  their  names  to 
the  business  as  directors  and  trustees,  played  the 
"  baby  act "  —  they  knew  nothing  about  it  —  and 
their  prominence  and  influence  saved  them  from 
having  to  make  the  poor  justice  of  restitution. 

And  when  the  Southern  people  raised  a  voice 
against  the  organization  of  this  alleged  bank; 
when  they  protested  against  its  branches  doing 
business  in  the  different  States  (for  by  its  charter 
it  could  not  go  outside  the  District  of  Columbia), 
they  were  shouted  down  by  the  one  cry  of  the 
times:   "Rebels!    Rebels!" 

Few  other  disturbances  were  had;  the  negroes 
remained  quiet;  the  officers  were  busy  witli  State 
politics.  An  occasional  arrest  on  a  trumped-up 
charge  was  made,  but  the  Southern  man  had  come 
to  care  little  for  that.  The  officers  seemed  to 
tire  of  petty  earnings;  they  had  enterprises  in 
prospect  of  too  great  magnitude  to  justify  them 
in  giving  a  day's  time  to  impose  and  collect  a  ten- 
dollar  fine.  The  operations  of  the  midnight  raid- 
ers had  rendered  ineffective  all  attempts  to  extort 
money  in  large  sums  by  the  use  of  the  negroes. 


XLI 

In  Which  Kosciusko  Is  Threatened  with  Great 
Prosperity 

TO  the  astonishment  of  all  his  friends,  Mr. 
Dodge  packed  his  trunk  and  started  North  in 
search  of  more  active  business.  He  had  nothing 
definite  in  view;  he  simply  longed  for  commer- 
cial conquest.  For  months  he  had  tried  to  break 
into  the  official  circle  at  Kosciusko,  after  noting 
its  unusual  opportunities  for  business;  but  the 
ring  was  complete  and  harmonious;  there  was  no 
room  for  him. 

At  Nashville,  where  he  stopped  off  for  some 
days  to  air  his  views  on  important  matters,  he 
came  into  companionship  with  a  Mr.  Ashmore  — 
J.  Phillip  Ashmore,  Chicago,  the  enamelled  card 
announced.  This  gentleman  was  in  Tennessee 
looking  after,  or  "working  up,"  as  he  styled  it, 
a  railroad  contract.  The  magnificence  of  his  proj- 
ect, and  the  graceful  volubility  with  which  he 
threw  off  large  figures  in  setting  it  forth,  en- 
thralled the  ambitious  Dodge,  who  quickly  became 
his  disciple. 

The  proposed  railroad  was  to  split  Williams 
County  in  twain,  from  east  to  west,  in  its  majestic 
course  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Kosci- 
usko was  to  become  the  most  important  station  on 
the  line  between  its  oceanic  terminals,  the  location 
of  its  principal  office,  the  seat  of  all  its  gigantic 
operations.     Of   course,    all   this  was  on   paper. 

403 


404  In  the  Wake  of  War 


Like  all  the  great  schemes  that  were  being  put  to 
nest,  the  Capital  of  the  State  was  its  main  office, 
the  General  Assembly  its  field  of  active  opera- 
tions. The  bonus  had  to  be  arranged  for;  the 
charter  had  to  be  voted. 

This  enormous  enterprise  had  started  during 
the  last  days  of  the  preceding  session  of  the  Leg- 
islature, and  little  headway  had  been  made  before 
adjournment.  But,  thanks  to  the  patriotic  spirit 
that  was  then  rampant,  a  largo  number  of  the 
members  had  subserved  personal  interests  to  pub- 
lic weal,  and  had  remained  in  Nashville  through 
the  short  recess  in  order  to  become  thoroughly 
informed  on  this  and  other  like  undertakings. 
Mr.  Ashmore  had  devoted  several  weeks  to  the 
instruction  of  these  statesmen,  and  had  already 
invested  three-fourths  of  his  promotion  capital  in 
educating  and  persuading  them.  And  now,  at 
the  time  of  his  chance  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Dodge,  he  only  awaited  the  reassembling  of  the 
Legislature  for  the  formal  ratification  of  his  proj- 
ect; the  terms  of  the  bonus  were  agreed  to  by 
the  leaders  of  both  bodies;  the  charter  was 
written. 

But  strange  to  say,  for  all  the  prospective  mil- 
lions involved,  for  all  his  enormous  investment 
in  dinners,  wines  and  unmentionable  entertain- 
ments for  legislators,  Mr.  Ashmore  had  never 
been  south  of  Nashville.  He  spoke  confidently 
of  his  preliminary  survey,  as  if  it  had  been  a 
thing  more  serious  than  a  man  riding  through  the 
country  on  horseback.  Yet,  on  the  report  of 
a  holiday  canter,  by  a  man  drawing  two  dollars 
per  day  and  expenses,  the  financier  had  caused  to 


Kosciusko  Threatened  with  Prosperity     405 

be  made  maps  and  drawings  that  would  have  con- 
verted the  most  apathetic  to  the  necessity  of 
building  his  road.  When  the  guardian  statesmen 
liad  been  suitably  prepared  for  the  exhibition, 
and  were  brought  to  contemplate  those  magnifi- 
cent elevations  and  profiles,  they  wondered  how 
the  great  Commonwealth  had  so  long  maintained 
her  place  in  geography  without  the  Atlantic, 
Kosciusko  and  Pacific  Railroad,  Iron  and  Coal 
Company. 

These  maps  were  so  plain  and  simple  !  True, 
they  had  elaborate  yellow  borders,  but  that  did 
not  detract  from  their  veracity.  The  sweeping 
rivers  were  in  dark  blue,  the  twisting  creeks  in 
light  blue,  mountain  ranges  in  fuzzy  black  streaks, 
roads  and  turnpikes  in  pink,  iron  ore  beds  in  brown 
splatters,  coal  layers  in  red  blots,  timber  in  pur- 
ple, and  cotton  and  corn  land  in  green.  Nothing 
was  concealed;  everything  stood  out  as  plainly  as 
the  dome  on  the  old  State  House. 

And  yet,  the  master-mind  had  never  been  in 
Kosciusko,  the  very  centre  of  all  his  prospective 
development.  He  had  never  seen  the  ground  on 
which  the  depot,  freight  house  and  office  buildings 
were  to  be  erected.  Mr.  Dodge  was  practical;  he 
proposed  to  introduce  the  creator  to  his  own  en- 
terprise. 

Accordingly,  the  two  appeared  one  fine  morn- 
ing at  Kosciusko,  and  Mr.  Dodge  got  a  team  and 
drove  Mr.  Ashmore  over  the  southern  portion  of 
the  town.  The  map  showed  the  railroad  as  en- 
tering that  quarter,  and  Mr.  Dodge  had  no  notion 
of  doing  violence  to  the  genius  of  the  geographer. 

At    sight   of    a    level    spread    of    pasture    and 


406  In  the  Wake  of  War 


meadow,  comprising  some  forty  acres,  the  visit- 
ing financier  exclaimed:  "•There's  the  identical 
spot,  by  gosh;  there  's  our  terminal  ground. 
There  ain't  no  reason  why  I  should  n't  arrange 
to  buy  it  to-day.  Who  claims  that  tract  of  land, 
driver?  "  he  asked,  imperiously,  of  the  negro  that 
drove  the  team. 

"  Doan  know,  suh,"  answered  the  colored  man. 

"That  belongs  to  Anton  Nelson,  an  old  and 
very  dear  friend  of  mine.  I  will  introduce  you  to 
Mr.  Nelson,  Mr.  Ashmore;  glad  to  do  it;  you  are 
both  my  friends.     You  ought " 

"  Drive  to  this  Anton's  house,  at  once,  nigger," 
cut  in  the  man  from  Chicago,  who  evidently  had 
learned  how  to  silence  Mr.  Dodge. 

Without  waiting  to  enquire  about  such  trifling 
matters  as  title,  or  possession,  or  survey,  Mr.  Ash- 
more  announced  his  selection  of  the  ground  for 
the  use  of  station  and  switch  system.  He  did  not 
ask  if  it  was  for  sale;  he  simply  demanded  to 
know  the  price. 

"  Keally,  Mr.  Ashmore,  I  never  have  made  a 
price  on  that  little  scrap  of  land,"  answered  Mr. 
Nelson,  deliberately.  "It  suits  me  very  well  as 
a  pasture  for  my  horse  and  cow  —  right  here  at 
town,  you  see.  Then  I  cut  a  bit  of  fodder  there 
for  winter.      I  never  have  thought  of  selling  it. ' ' 

"Name  your  price,  Mr.  Nelson,"  insisted  the 
Chicago  man. 

"  Yes,  yes,  my  dear  old  friend,  business  is  busi- 
ness. What  will  you  take  for  it  ?  My  friend,  Mr. 
Ashmore,  is  from  up  North  and  does  business 
quickly.  Name  the  figure  and  we  shall  have  a 
trade  in  a  minute,"  Mr.   Dodge  put  in. 


Kosciusko  Threatened  with  Prosperity     407 

Mr.  Nelson  stood  immovable  for  a  few  moments, 
looking  fixedly  down  the  street,  as  if  he  saw  a 
train  coming  over  the  new  line.  Then  a  cloud 
passed  over  his  countenance,  as  if  he  had  parted 
forever  from  some  old  friend.  Mr.  Ashmore  be- 
came restless  in  the  silence,  and  slid  about  un- 
easily in  his  seat;  but  Mr.  Nelson  did  not  notice 
this,  and  did  not  answer.  He  seemed  to  be 
dreaming.  At  last  he  took  the  pipe  from  his 
mouth  and  said,  very  deliberately:  "I  don't 
reckon  I  will  name  a  price  to-day,  gentlemen. 
I  can  not  think  of  parting  with  that  little  patch  of 
ground.  It  was  my  father's,  and  I  never  have 
sold  anything  that  he  left  me.  I  am  old  enough 
to  have  outgrown  that  sentiment,  I  reckon,  but  I 
have  n't  done  it.  Then,  it  suits  me  very  well  to 
keep  it;  I  would  n't  know  how  to  do  without  it. 
But  I  '11  study  on  it,  and  if  I  decide  to  sell,  will 
communicate  with  Mr.  Dodge." 

"But,  Nelson,  this  is  a  great  public  improve- 
ment; there  's  millions  in  it  for  you  fellows,  mil- 
lions. It  '11  make  your  town  bigger' n  Nashville. 
We  could  have  went  to  Columbus  with  this  rail- 
road; they  wanted  it  bad  enough;  but  we  wanted 
to  boom  Kosciusko.  Think  of  it!  twenty  trains 
a  day,  each  way,  will  come  tooting  in  here. 
Your  house  and  lot  '11  be  worth  five  thousand 
more'n  'tis  to-day.  Think  of  it!"  poured  out 
the  so-called  capitalist. 

"Then  I  shall  have  to  sell  my  old  home-place; 
I  can  not  afford  to  live  in  a  house  worth  five 
thousand  dollars.  You  upset  all  my  plans  for 
the  future,  and  remove  all  the  land-marks  that 
bind  me  to  the  past.     There  is  no  music  in  the 


408  In  the  Wake  of  War 

tooting  of  a  locomotive.  I  'd  rather  hear  that 
mocking-bird  that  whistles  for  me  every  time  I  go 
down  to  the  pasture.  To  tell  you  the  truth 
bluntly,  Mr.  Ashmore,  I  don't  feel  the  pressing 
need  of  any  more  railroads;  it  bothers  me  to  pay 
fare  on  this  one." 

"Oh,  Tennessee  must  have  more  roads;  hain't 
got  half  enough.  You  're  way  behind  the  times. 
We  must  have  a  great  trunk  line,  from  ocean  to 
ocean,"  persisted  the  boomer. 

"Then  Mrs.  Nelson  will  have  to  go  to  the 
seashore  in  summer,  and  to  California  in  winter. 
That  would  ruin  mc,  sure.  No,  gentlemen,  I 
can't  see  any  call  for  the  railroad,"  answered 
Mr.  Nelson,  quietly. 

"I'll  give  you  five  hundred  an  acre,  by  Gov- 
ernment survey,"  said  Ashmore,  with  a  trace  of 
disgust  in  his  tone. 

"That  is  more  than  five  times  its  value,  Mr. 
Ashmore,"  said  Mr.  Nelson,  after  a  moment's 
reflection. 

"Will  you  take  a  hundred  an  acre,  then?" 
asked  Ashmore,  quickly. 

' '  I  shall  have  to  study  over  it  a  few  days 
before  I  name  any  price." 

' '  Well  that  beats  hell !  ' '  exclaimed  the  man 
from  Chicago,  who  never  had  thought  that  a  man 
could  own  a  thing  that  he  would  not  sell.  "  I  '11 
give  you  a  thousand  an  acre,"  he  cried,  in  des- 
peration. 

"You  will  have  to  excuse  me  from  naming 
a  price  to-day,  gentlemen,"  repeated  Mr.  Nelson, 
without  changing  tone  or  expression  under  this 
fire  of  enormous  sums. 


Kosciusko  Threatened  with  Prosperity     409 

"Yes,  yes,  think  it  over,  friend  Anton;  we 
will  see  you  again  in  a  day  or  two.  "We  are 
going  out  to  Elmington  to  see  Colonel  Grayson, 
and  will  be  back  to-morrow  or  the  next  day," 
said  Dodge,  who  knew  how  fruitless  it  was  to 
barter  with  the  conservatism  of  Mr.  Nelson. 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you,  gentlemen,  at  any 
time.  My  house  always  is  open  for  friends,  if 
not  for  business." 

When  they  were  out  of  Mr.  Nelson's  hearing, 
Ashmore  said:  "That  is  just  like  these  damned 
old  Eebels.  They  deserve  to  have  their  land 
taken  away  from  them;  it  ought  to  be  confis- 
cated." 

"But  Mr.  Nelson  is  not  a  Rebel;  he  is  a 
Union  man,"  said  Dodge,  in  his  most  subdued 
voice. 

"  Mebbe,  but  he  hasn't  the  push  of  the  Rad- 
icals I  know  in  the  Legislature,"  cried  Ash- 
more. 

"Perhaps  not;  he  is  of  another  class  from 
those  vagabonds,"  Dodge  had  to  confess. 


XLII 

Which  Treats  of  Business  Methods  under 
Advanced  Civilization 

THE  regular  session  of  the  Legislature  opened 
early  in  November,  after  an  adjournment  in 
July.  Public  measures  of  great  importance  to 
the  members,  if  not  to  the  State,  kept  this  linsey- 
woolsey  mass  of  humanity  in  Nashville  the  most 
of  the  year  during  these  troublous  days. 

The  Southern  men  who  had  participated  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Confederacy  had  not  attempted  to 
vote  since  their  return;  yet  new  and  more  strin- 
gent franchise  laws  were  constantly  in  demand. 
At  first  this  heroic  legislation  was  thought  to  be 
prompted  by  malice,  and  perhaps  it  was  so;  but 
later,  when  appropriations  were  to  be  granted  to 
railroads,  turnpikes  and  other  projects  for  internal 
improvements,  the  true  animus  was  disclosed. 
Those  who  owned  the  property  and  paid  the  taxes 
found  themselves  without  the  one  protection 
under  a  democratic  form  of  government  —  the 
ballot. 

The  Southern  man  had  not  appeared  at  the 
polls  since  the  collapse  of  the  Confederacy;  yet 
the  County  Guards,  ostensibly  created  for  the 
protection  of  the  ballot-box,  constantly  needed 
extension  of  powers  and  authority.  These  pre- 
cautions against  treason  were  heralded  by  the 
press  from  ocean  to  ocean,  as  examples  of  the 
wisdom  and  statesmanship  in  control  of  Ten- 
nessee. 

410 


Which  Treats  of  Business  Methods         411 

But  more  than  all  else,  the  Yolunteer  State 
was  at  last  stai-ted  in  the  great  race  for  material 
prosperity.  This  required  much  legislation.  Her 
priceless  deposits  of  iron  ore,  coal  and  marble 
were  attracting  the  attention  of  capitalists  of  a 
certain  class;  her  fertile  valleys  and  abundant  for- 
ests had  caught  the  notice  of  hundreds  of  men 
who  were  able  to  deal  in  large  sums  of  money  — 
on  paper. 

The  old  Commonwealth  had  been  conservative; 
the  people  born  and  bred  in  the  midst  of  all  this 
wealth  of  nature  had  never  sought  to  force  their 
counnodities  on  the  world  in  advance  of  a  reason- 
able and  natural  demand.  They  knew  all  about 
their  unusual  resources;  but  they  had  not  learned 
that  coal,  iron  and  marble  were  perishable;  they 
thought  these  articles  of  commerce  could  be  used, 
or  kept  for  future  generations,  at  will. 

Not  so  the  adventurous  capitalists  who  now 
swarmed  the  State,  To  these  industrious  per- 
sons the  future  had  no  promise;  the  present  time 
was  everything.  They  scoffed  at  the  very  men- 
tion of  posterity;  they  scouted  the  idea  of  future 
needs  and  values. 

"  What  Tennessee  needs  is  railroads  and  turn- 
pikes !  "  they  shouted.  "  With  these  advantages 
at  command,  we  can  drive  this  coal,  iron  and  mar- 
ble down  the  very  throats  of  the  world,  civilized 
and  barbarous.'''  And  they  projected  their  im- 
provements in  every  quarter.  Their  lines  of  rail- 
road led  toward  every  great  commercial  center, 
although  none,  in  fact,  reached  the  narrow  limits 
of  the  State. 

J.    Phillip    Ashmore    was    the    acknowledged 


412  In  the  Wake  of  War 

leader  of  this  crowd  of  public  benefactors.  He 
had  a  keen  eye  for  hidden  wealth,  a  resourceful 
brain  for  methods  of  development,  and  a  genius 
for  the  calculation  and  demonstration  of  sure  prof- 
its. His  proposed  line,  the  Atlantic,  Kosciusko 
and  Pacific  Railroad,  Iron  and  Coal  Company, 
was  regarded  with  much  favor  in  the  Legislature. 
Its  matchless  qualities  were  well  displayed;  the 
scheme  was  thoroughly  organized. 

So  high  was  the  esteem  in  which  it  was  held, 
that  Mr.  Ashmore  was  granted  special  privileges 
in  the  State  House.  He  had  at  his  disposal  a 
room  opening  upon  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, in  which  to  spread  his  exhibit.  Note 
the  wonderful  strides  of  civilization  !  In  the 
sleepy  old  days  of  Sevier,  or  Houston,  or  Crock- 
ett, or  Jackson,  or  Polk,  this  room  had  been 
used  by  committees  for  the  transaction  of  public 
business.  Here  Ashmore  hung  on  the  walls  his 
maps  with  yellow  borders;  he  piled  bits  of  iron  ore 
in  one  corner,  chunks  of  coal  in  another,  slabs  of 
marble  in  the  third,  and  set  up  a  saloon  in  the 
fourth.  The  last  mentioned  feature  of  his  exhi- 
bition engrossed  the  attention  of  the  statesmen; 
they  kicked  the  ore,  spat  upon  the  coal  heap,  stood 
at  the  bar  as  long  as  they  could,  and  when  ex- 
hausted by  undue  sampling  of  liquors,  lolled  on 
the  marble. 

The  leaders  of  both  Houses  had  committed 
themselves  to  his  scheme  during  the  summer, 
but  their  followers  came  around  slowly.  Some 
seemed  to  hold  off  for  substantial  arguments; 
others  found  the  presence  of  Mr.  Ashmore  and 
his  campaign  material  so  agreeable  that  they  stood 


Which  Treats  of  Business  Methods        413 

for  delay.  In  truth  the  bar  proved  so  suitable 
that  it  came  near  defeating  the  object  for  which  it 
was  brought  into  being. 

The  business  man  from  Chicago  was  not  slow  to 
discover  the  trend  of  affairs;  he  saw  that  he  was 
killing  his  prospects  with  kindness.'  Nothing 
short  of  a  coup  would  take  his  measure  out 
of  the  danger  of  convenient  delay.  Besides,  the 
campaign  was  expensive,  the  consumption  of  liq- 
uors increased  daily,  as  the  crowd  of  hangers-on 
and  men  about  town  learned  that  everything  was 
free. 

For  a  time  the  bill  had  gone  swimmingly;  the 
Senate  had  disposed  of  it  with  less  than  a  dozen 
negative  votes,  the  opposition  of  a  few  old  fogies 
who  had  by  accident  gotten  seats  in  the  aristocratic 
body.  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  it  had 
passed  two  readings,  but  obstructions  were  now 
beginning  to  appear.  Objections  were  made  to  its 
being  called  up  out  of  regular  order,  a  quorum 
was  not  present,  or  the  speaker  failed  to  recognize 
the  right  person  at  the  right  time. 

Desperate  with  this  trifling,  Ashmore  planned 
a  master  raid.  He  would  pass  the  bill  the  follow- 
ing night,  or  know  the  reason  for  further  pro- 
crastination. First,  the  speaker  was  "  fixed," 
sure  and  safe;  then  came  the  member  who  would 
advance  the  measure,  rough-shod,  over  all  inter- 
vening and  obstructing  business.  But  the  way 
for  this  had  to  be  prepared,  for  there  was  a  leaven 
of  decency,  even  in  this  damnable  collection. 
All  friends  of  the  bill  must  be  made  ready  to  act 
on  a  moment's  notice;  a  day's  laxity,  in  the  in- 
terest of  free  whisky,    might  give    to  this  weak 


414  In  the  Wake  of  War 

minority  an  advantage  that  could  not  be  reclaimed 
in  months. 

The  next  morning  an  extra  stock  of  liquors  was 
brought  in  and  deposited  behind  the  bar. 
Arrangements  were  made  for  a  busy  day.  The 
lobby  was  marshalled;  each  member  of  this  dis- 
creditable power  had  his  work  assigned.  But  the 
man  of  Chicago  breeding,  and  claiming  to  prac- 
tice Chicago  business  methods,  was  not  content 
with  these  plans.  He  had  claimed  all  along  to 
be  the  exemplification  of  a  new  and  advanced 
civilization;  a  civilization  that  presumed  to  lead 
the  world  with  a  banner  bearing  the  strange  de- 
vice, "I  Will."  His  reputation  was  at  stake, 
for,  to  this  time  he  had  introduced  only  one 
unusual  feature  into  his  tactics  —  the  bar.  Every- 
thing else  was  old  and  commonplace.  In  this  he 
fully  reclaimed  himself;  for  when  the  members  of 
the  Third  House  were  organizing  and  taking 
their  several  allotted  stations,  they  found  their 
forces  strangely  augmented.  Ashmore  had 
brought  in  the  women  of  the  town  to  help  in 
carrying  his  scheme  through.  This  was  the  first 
appearance  of  the  courtesan  in  the  old  State 
House  as  a  political  factor;  it  was  not  her  last 
effort  during  the  years  of  terror  known  as  Kecon- 
struction. 

Right  soon  in  the  morning  the  urbane  bartender 
was  busy  making  cocktails,  later  on  juleps  were 
in  great  demand,  and  all  day  long  the  call  of 
"straight"  was  prosperous.  If  a  member  on 
the  floor  of  the  House  was  slow  in  coming  after 
his  grog,  a  lobbyist  carried  the  bottle  to  his  desk 
and  poured  out  his  dram.     To  such  a  system  had 


Which  Treats  of  Business  Methods        415 


the  Chicago  man  reduced  his  arrangements,  that 
he  knew  at  the  end  of  every  hour  the  number  of 
drinks  each  of  the  doubtful  members  had  taken. 
Their  capacity,  he  knew  from  previous  experience. 
As  the  day  wore  on,  the  uproar  increased;  toward 
night  it  was  deafening.  Members  were  shouting, 
speaking,   cursing. 

By  night  the  respectable  minority  had  quit  the 
hall  in  disgust;  the  procrastinators  were,  for  the 
most  part,  asleep  at  their  desks.  Then  the  bill 
was  called  up  and  put  on  its  final  passage.  Those 
who  were  sober  enough,  voted  "aye;  "  those  who 
were  too  far  gone  to  answer  the  rapid  roll-call, 
were  counted  as  voting  "aye."  One  member, 
a  known  supporter  of  the  measure,  could  do  no 
more  than  grunt;  but  a  yellow  lobbyist,  who  held 
the  frail  brother  in  his  chair,  called  out  in  a  piping 
voice:  "He  say,  'yas,'  suh."  And  so  the  bill 
was  passed. 

Later  on  the  Governor  signed  it,  and  the  State 
had  pledged  its  credit  to  a  railroad  that  never  was 
built,  and  never  was  intended  to  be  built,  to  the 
precious  tune  of  many  thousands  of  dollars  per 
mile.     Much  more  than  it  would  have  cost. 

All  this  in  the  State  of  Jackson,  and  Polk,  and 
Sevier,  and  Houston,  and  Crockett,  and  a  hun- 
dred other  as  illustrious  names.  All  this  in  the 
chairs,  at  the  desks,  made  historic  and  honorable 
by  the   presence   of  these   great  and  good  men. 


XLIII 

In  Which  Two  Conservative  Gentlemen  Are 
Instructed  in  Business  Methods 

EQUIPPED  with  his  charter,  J.  Phillip  Asli- 
more  proceeded  to  the  seat  of  operations  to 
organize  his  company  and  start  work  on  the  rail- 
road. The  lively  scenes  at  the  Capital  had 
proved  too  mncli  for  Mr.  Dodge's  bilious  tem- 
perament; he  had  quietly  withdrawn  before  the 
grand  climax,  and  awaited  his  principal  at  Kosci- 
usko. Together  they  drove  to  Elmington,  for 
Ashmore  expected  to  interest  Colonel  Grayson 
and  Major  Lewis  in  his  project. 

"You  see,"  he  said,  when  he  had  the  Major 
in  a  corner  from  which  there  was  no  retreating, 
"I  want  the  very  best  men  in  this  town  in  my 
board  of  directors.  Won't  have  no  cheap  fel- 
lers; must  have  everything  first-class,  strictly 
first-class.  I  have  General  Swanson,  at  Mem- 
phis; Colonel  Jones,  at  Chattanooga,  and  General 

somebody,    at    Charleston,       All    fi.rst-cla88, 

every  one  of  'em;  they're  old  officers  of  the 
Federal  army,  and  have  lots  of  influence.  None 
of  'em  have  money,  though;  I  furnish  all  that 
from  Chicago.  Now,  what  I  want,  is  influence, 
all  up  and  down  the  line;  I  have  money  enough; 
I  can  finance  the  scheme  in  real  Chicago  style. 
Can  I  count  you  in?" 

"I  have  no  money,  Mr.  Ashmore,"  answered 

416 


Two  Conservative  Gentlemen  Instructed      417 

Major  Lewis,  "and  never  engage  in  business  that 
is  beyond  my  means.  I  never  owed  a  debt  that 
went  an  hour  past  due;  but  if  I  should  go  into 
this  enterprise  I  'd  become  hopelessly  involved. 
There  are  plenty  of  men  who  would  be  glad  to 
join  you,    but  you  will  have  to  leave  me  out." 

"Not  a  dollar  is  needed;  I  shall  not  put  up 
more  than  my  check.  See  here,  Colonel  Gray- 
son, come  and  hear  this  great  offer.  1  want  you 
and  Major  Lewis  to  go  into  my  company  —  I 
want  you  to  be  incorporators  and  directors  in  the 
Atlantic,  Kosciusko  and  Pacific  Railroad,  L'on 
and  Coal  Company.  It 's  a  great  honor;  your 
names  '11  be  printed  on  letter-heads,  and  every- 
thing else.      What  say  you,   Colonel?" 

"For  myself,  I  have  no  money,  and  times  are 
not  propitious  for  going  into  debt.  I  thank  you 
for  the  offer,  but  you  will  have  to  excuse  me,  Mr. 
Ashmore. ' ' 

' '  You  Southern  fellers  beat  all  I  ever  seen ; 
you  are  the  slowest  to  see  a  chance  to  get  rich 
that  I  ever  seen.  Why  don't  you  hustle,  like  we 
do  up  in  Chicago  ?  We  don't  let  no  grass  grow 
under  our  feet  up  there.  Now's  your  time  to 
make  a  fortune;  I'll  make  it  for  you,  if  you'll 
give  me  a  chance.  Now  listen;  it's  just  like 
this:  I  have  my  charter  and  the  bonus  all  voted; 
we  have  to  organize  our  company,  subscribe  the 
capital  stock,  and  pay  down  ten  per  cent  of  stock 
subscriptions.  That 's  all.  We  shall  organize 
with  ten  millions  capital,  pay  in  one  million  in 
checks  and  take  our  stock.  The  bonds  will  then 
be  issued  to  us,  a  part  of  them  at  least,  and  then 
we  will  begin  work  on  our  road.     You  see,  these 

27 


418  In  the  Wake  of  War 

bonds  will  be  guaranteed  by  the  State;  that  is 
provided  for  in  my  bonus;  and  we  can  sell  them 
in  New  York  as  fast  as  the  printer  can  run  them 
off.  For  the  benefit  of  having  good  men  in  my 
company,  I  '11  let  you  in  on  the  ground-floor. 
'Twon't  cost  you  a  copper." 

' '  We  should  have  to  pay  our  stock  subscrip- 
tions, or  ten  per  cent  of  them,  at  once,"  persisted 
Colonel  Grayson,  who  never  had  conceived  of  any 
other  way  of  doing  business. 

"  Let  me  tell  you  again,  you  pay  nothing  — 
not  a  copper.  We  have  to  pay  in  the  ten  per 
cent  before  the  commissioners  will  certify  to  the 
proper  organization  of  the  company,  and  give 
me  an  order  for  the  first  installment  of  the  bonds. 
But  we  will  pay  with  our  checks;  whether  those 
checks  are  honored  or  not,  is  another  matter. 
Don't  you  see  ?  But,  as  they  say  in  the  Legisla- 
ture, '  sly  as  you  keep  it, '  I  named  those  com- 
missioners. The  chairman  is  your  judge,  Eng- 
lish. A  good  fellow,  but  I  loaned  him  thirty- 
five  hundred  that  he  needed  to  buy  a  house  with. 
He  never  has  offered  to  pay  it  back.  He  will 
certify  to  anything,  so  long  as  I  don't  press  him 
for  that  thirty-five  hundred.  Don't  you  see  ? 
It's  well  I  did  n't  get  old  Judge  Backus,  or  that 
Judge  Florence  on  the  commission.  They  're 
reformers.  I  kept  clear  of  them.  Now,  all  we 
have  to  do  is  this:  Subscribe  the  stock,  draw 
our  checks,  elect  a  board  of  directors,  elect  offi- 
cers, get  our  stock,  get  an  order  for  the  bonds, 
sell  our  bonds,  and  begin  work  —  understand, 
hegin  work.  When  we  have  done  a  little  work 
—  when  we  have  begun  —  we  get  the  balance  of 


Two  Conservative  Gentlemen  Instructed    419 

the  bonds  and  sell  'em,  and  the  fortune  is  made. 
Don't  you  see  ?  That  's  the  way  we  do  business 
in  Chicago." 

' '  You  will  have  to  excuse  me,  Mr.  Ashmore. 
I  am  a  common  planter  and  can  not  cope  with 
such  large  undertakings.  I  shall  have  to  stick 
closely  to  my  crop,"  said  Colonel  Grayson. 

"As  for  me,"  said  Major  Lewis,  "I  can  not 
think  of  making  a  fortune  so  quickly  —  it  would 
plumb  turn  my  head," 

"  Then  you  can't  say  I  never  gave  you  a  chance 
to  get  rich.  Of  course,  you  won't  mention  my 
methods;  I  told  you  that  in  strict  confidence." 

"  We  have  no  occasion  to  put  it  on  that,  Mr. 
Ashmore,"  said  Major  Lewis. 

"I  see  that  dinner  is  served,  gentlemen. 
This  is  a  special  occasion,  Mr.  Ashmore.  We 
are  having  a  family  dinner  to-day  in  celebration 
of  the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  the  marriage  of 
Major  and  Mrs.  Lewis.  A  happy  accident  caused 
the  event  to  take  place  here,  instead  of  at  Fair- 
fax, otherwise  you  would  not  have  found  us  at 
home.     We  are  glad  to  have  you  with  us,  sir." 

"  Oh,  a  wedding  dinner  !  Just  my  suit  !  The 
last  wedding  dinner  I  attended  was  at  Mr.  Ad- 
more's,  the  great  pork  packer.  It  was  a  grand 
affair  —  presents  cost  more  'n  ten  thousand.  Full 
dress,  even  to  the  waiters.  We  do  things  up 
brown,   in  Chicago.     Nothing  cheap  up  there." 

J.  Phillip  Ashmore  was  not  the  man  to  be  cast 
down  by  the  refusal  of  Major  Lewis  and  Colonel 
Grayson.  Mr.  Dodge  was  more  tractable,  and 
readily  subscribed  for  as  large  a  block  of  the  stock 
as   the  promoter   would    allow.       Then     Shex'iff 


420  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Streeter,  Provost-Marshal  Samson,  Agent  Bragg, 
and  Felix  Grayson  came  forward  and  lent  their 
names  and  influence  —  so  the  organization  was 
perfected.  Each  wrote  his  check  for  the  requisite 
ten  per  cent  of  his  subscription,  and  the  Federal 
Government  was  enriched  by  the  sale  of  six  rev- 
enue stamps  that  were  aflixed  to  these  documents 
of  exchange.  Beyond  that,  no  money  passed,  for 
no  one  of  the  checks  was  paid.  But  they  made 
such  a  formidable  array  that  the  commissioners 
certified  that  everything  was  correct,  and  gave  the 
order  for  the  first  installment  of  the  bonds,  which 
were  duly  guaranteed  by  the  State. 

Everything  was  ready;  the  stock  certificates 
were  printed,  the  bonds  engraved.  Ashmore 
took  the  bonds,  bundled  off  to  New  York  by  the 
first  train,  and  placed  them  on  the  market.  With 
the  proceeds  of  this  sale,  a  survey  was  made 
covering  some  fifty  miles  both  east  and  west  from 
Kosciusko,  a  portion  of  the  right-of-way  was  se- 
cured, contracts  for  grading  were  let,  and  a  large 
number  of  men  were  sent  to  the  woods  to  work 
at  cross-ties.  A  great  bustling  was  made,  which 
lasted  until  the  promoter  convinced  the  commis- 
sioners that  he  was  entitled  to  draw  the  balance 
of  the  bond  issue,  when  suddenly  there  came  a 
halt. 

Contractors  were  not  paid,  poor  men  who  had 
cut  and  stacked  cross-ties  along  the  right-of-way 
hunted  in  vain  for  the  treasurer  of  the  Atlantic, 
Kosciusko  and  Pacific  Company.  When  last  seen 
he  had  the  bonds  in  a  carpet-bag,  headed  toward 
New  York. 

The  State's  credit  was  given,  both  for  principal 


Two  Conservative  Gentlemen  Instructed    421 

and  interest,  to  the  serious  extent  of  a  million  of 
dollars;  and  the  people  who  had  this  to  pay, 
through  the  medium  of  taxation,  were  benefited 
only  for  a  few  thousand  dollars. 

And  here  the  project  slumbered  for  months, 
until  the  ofiicers  at  Kosciusko  took  the  matter  up 
and  secured  an  additional  bonus  from  Williams 
and  other  counties  along  the  proposed  line,  when 
building  began  anew.  This  action  was  no  more 
sincere  than  the  first;  for  as  soon  as  the  county 
bonds  were  issued  and  disposed  of,  the  whole 
scheme   suffered  a  complete    and    final    collapse. 


XLIV 

The  New  Citizen  Demonstrates  His  Prerogative 

AFTER  pledging,  beyond  power  of  redemption, 
.  the  credit  of  the  State  in  aid  of  raih-oads, 
turnpikes,  and  other  schemes  for  ^internal  im- 
provements, no  one  of  which  was  carried  out, 
the  Legislature  found  time  to  pass  the  Fifteenth 
Amendment.  This  final  act  was  not  unexpected; 
if  the  white  men  and  tax-payers  had  not  been  pro- 
scribed from  exercising  like  privileges,  it  would 
not  have  been  odious. 

The  first  election  under  the  expanded  franchise 
came  the  following  August.  It  was  a  great  holi- 
day. The  negroes  left  the  plantations  at  crack  of 
day  and  congregated  in  Kosciusko,  the  only  poll- 
ing-place in  the  County  of  Williams.  A  fair  elec- 
tion could  not  be  had  with  less  than  twenty-five 
polling-places,  so  wide  and  long  was  the  county. 
But  fairness  was  not  a  virtue  in  those  unhappy 
days;  it  was  not  sought  after. 

As  there  was  no  work  being  done,  Manning 
Lewis  made  a  holiday  and  took  Mary  Lou  for  a 
horseback  ride.  Instead  of  calling  upon  some  of 
their  friends,  as  was  their  custom  on  these  rides, 
they  turned  toward  Kosciusko  to  take  a  look  at 
election  methods. 

The  County  Guards  were  out  in  force;  the  ne- 
gro military  company  was  under  arms,  and  stood 
guard  about  the  old  court-house,  where  the  ballot- 
ing was   in  progress.     Manning   and   Mary   Lou 

422 


The  New  Citizen's  Prerogative  423 

made  no  attempt  to  approach  the  scene,  but  stopped 
their  horses  fifty  yards  away  to  observe  the  new 
proceeding.  A  speaker,  from  an  improvised 
platform,  harangued  the  crowd  until  he  was  ex- 
hausted, and  then  another  took  his  place.  The 
auditors  did  not  seem  to  tire.  All  the  speeches 
were  anarchistic  in  sentiment;  some  were  directly 
incendiary.  The  principal  theme  was  the  division 
of  land  and  mules,  and  the  expulsion  of  the  na- 
tive-born whites.  This  subject,  for  all  its  delays 
and  disappointments,  seemed  always  fresh  and 
entertaining  to  the  ignorant  blacks. 

Printed  ballots  were  spread  on  the  upturned 
side  of  a  huge  goods  box.  The  voter  came  up  to 
select  or  receive  his  ticket.  As  not  one  per  cent 
of  the  colored  men  could  read,  they  asked  for  a 
ticket  bearing  the  name  of  some  particular  candi- 
date for  whom  they  wanted  to  vote.  There  were 
two  tickets  in  the  field:  the  Radical,  representing 
the  State  administration ;  the  Union  Conservative, 
representing  the  better  element  of  Union  men  in 
the  South.  The  former  party  was  in  power;  its 
emissaries  managed  the  election. 

The  whites  selected  their  ballots  at  will,  and 
deposited  them  in  the  box  without  interruption. 
But  the  negroes  were  handed  the  Radical  ticket, 
regardless  of  their  wishes.  Then  they  were  forced 
to  run  the  gauntlet  between  two  files  of  watchers 
from  the  ranks  of  the  Radical  party,  and  to  show 
their  ballots  to  each  regulator  as  they  passed.  If 
by  any  chance  Cuffy  had  secured  a  Union  Conserv- 
ative ticket,  it  was  promptly  torn  in  pieces  and  the 
proper  one  substituted. 

At  the  ballot-box,  the  ticket  was  again  exam- 


424  In  the  Wake  of  War 

ined  by  Kadical  officers,  and  if  satisfactory,  it  was 
deposited.  Some  little  disturbance  was  made  by 
a  few  persistent  negroes  who  wanted  to  vote  for 
"Mars  Anton."  These  fellows  were  quickly  dis- 
ciplined, and  if  they  yielded  slowly  to  this  cor- 
rection, were  thrown  out  of  line.  But  all  were 
anxious  to  exercise  the  glorious  privilege  of  elect- 
ive franchise,  and  so  refractory  ones  eschewed 
their  purpose  to  honor  Anton  Nelson,  or  any  can- 
didate on  the  Union  Conservative  ticket.  Nearly 
every  black  man  voted;  all  voted  according  to 
instructions. 

So  strenuously  did  the  Radicals  bully  the  poor, 
ignorant  blacks,  that  the  opposition  candidates 
received,  or  counted,  less  than  a  score  of  votes. 
Mr.  Nelson,  as  candidate  for  the  Legislature,  was 
defeated  overwhelmingly  by  J.  Phillip  Ashmore, 
although  the  latter  was  not  a  citizen  of  Tennessee, 
and  had  never  been  in  Williams  County  ten  days 
at  one  time.  For  months  he  had  been  in  New 
York  with  his  bonds.  But  his  record  was  no  dis- 
qualification. 

Manning  and  Mary  Lou  sat  on  their  horses  for 
some  minutes,  at  a  respectful  distance,  watching 
these  proceedings.  They  made  no  move  to  inter- 
fere; no  comments,  except  to  each  other.  But 
their  presence  was  noted,  for  an  officer  came  out 
and  spoke  a  few  words  to  a  black  fellow  in  uni- 
form, a  member  of  the  colored  company.  He 
marched  down  tlie  street  and  rudely  ordered  them 
away:   "  Dis  ain'  no  place  fo'  Rebels,"  he  cried. 

They  turned  their  horses  to  go  in  obedience  to 
this  demand,  when  the  negro  pricked  with  the 
point  of  his  bayonet  the  old  war  horse  on  which 


The  New  Citizen's  Prerogative  425 

Mary  Lou  was  mounted.  The  animal  reared, 
nearly  throwing  her  from  the  saddle.  Manning 
whirled  on  the  impudent  rascal,  but  being  unarmed 
he  yielded  to  the  pleading  of  Mary  Lou  and  rode 
away.  The  crowd  shouted  and  jeered;  the  negro 
soldiers  threw  their  caps  in  the  air.  It  was  a 
great  victory. 

On  their  way  home  they  met  Paul  Willston,  to 
whom  they  related  the  adventure  of  the  day. 

"  Well,  where  ?  "  asked  Paul. 

"On  the  Bluff,"  answered  Manning. 

"The  hour?" 

"  Usual  hour." 

When  they  reached  Elmington,  Manning  went 
in  search  of  Howard ;  Mary  Lou  gave  her  father 
a  narrative  of  her  observations  at  Kosciusko. 

' '  I  have  been  curious  for  some  time  to  know 
how  the  negro  would  vote,"  said  Colonel  Gray- 
son, when  he  had  heard  the  details  of  the  meth- 
ods practiced  at  that  first  day's  election.  "He 
can  not  read  his  ballot,  he  can  not  know  who  are 
up  for  the  offices,  nor  can  he  judge  of  the  qualifi- 
cations of  the  several  candidates.  This  day  has 
set  the  precedent;  these  officers,  who  are  the  legal 
guardians  of  the  colored  man,  have  made  the 
rule.  The  poor  black  man  will  be  simply  the 
creature  of  the  dominant  political  party.  He 
either  will  vote  with  the  party  in  power,  as  he  did 
to-day,  or  he  will  find  it  convenient  not  to  vote  at 
all.  When  our  political  disabilities  are  removed, 
we  shall  make  use  of  him  exactly  as  you  saw  the 
Radicals  do  in  Kosciusko.  It  will  be  a  nasty 
business,  but  our  people  will  do  it;  they  will  find 
excuses  in  the  precedent  set  by  the  Radicals.  It 
is  a  bad  beginning." 


XLV 

In  Which  Mystic  Den  Meets  a  Foe 

1'^HE  night  was  dark  and  rainy;  the  whole  can- 
.  opy  was  overcast  with  heavy,  low-hanging 
clouds.  Every  reflector  in  the  heavens  was  hid- 
den; Erebus  had  spread  a  misty  pall  over  every 
twinkler  in  his  starry  domain,  Nature  was 
hushed,  as  if  depressed  into  eternal  repose.  The 
mocking-bird  must  have  forgotten  the  day-songs, 
for  he  whistled  not  a  note.  The  owl  and  the 
bat,  of  all  animate  nature,  were  alert;  the  one 
screeched,  the  other  circled  and  darted  about,  as 
if  to  prove  their  sovereignty  over  gloom. 

It  was  one  of  those  nights  in  which  colors 
shrink  and  lose  their  quality;  only  form  could  be 
distinguished,  and  that  indefinitely.  The  path 
through  the  dense  forest  on -the  slope  leading  to 
the  Bluff  was  as  easily  traced  as  the  open  high- 
way. And  yet  men  were  abroad.  Mystic  Den 
had  an  afPair  on,  and  men  were  out  to  give  it 
attention. 

The  breaking  of  dead  twigs  on  the  ground 
noted  the  approach  of  a  horseman.  When  he 
reached  the  open  on  the  Bluff  he  made  the  click- 
click  sign  of  the  order;  but  there  was  no  re- 
sponse. He  waited  a  minute;  the  cracking  of 
twigs  announced  the  approach  of  another  horse 
with  muffled  feet.  Click-click,  came  from  the 
wood;  the  signal  was  answered  by  a  like  click- 
click   in    the  open.     The   rider  reined  his  horse 

426 


Mystic  Den  Meets  a  Foe  427 

alongside  the  first  to  come.  No  word  was 
spoken.  The  first  to  arrive  struck  a  match  and 
looked  at  his  watch;  it  lacked  ten  minutes  of 
eleven  o'clock. 

Within  the  space  of  ten  minutes,  eighteen  other 
horsemen  rode  in,  each  giving  the  click-click  sig- 
nal as  he  came  near  the  rendezvous,  which  was 
answered  bj  those  already  in  line.  And  yet  no 
word  was  spoken.  The  one  who  had  first  arrived 
seemed  to  keep  count,  for  as  the  twentieth  rider 
gave  the  signal,  he  rode  from  the  head  of  the  line 
to  a  position  in  front,  scratched  another  match, 
consulted  his  watch,  and  said:  "The  hour  has 
come.     From  left  to   right,   count." 

They  counted,  but  in  a  symbol  of  their  own; 
there  were  nineteen  in  the  line.  The  lighted 
match  showed  all  to  be  dressed  in  the  flowing 
gown  of  the  order. 

The  leader  then  stated  the  purposes  of  the  meet- 
ing: To  avenge  the  outrage  practiced  by  the  negro 
soldiers  that  afternoon. 

"What  shall  be  the  punishment?"  he  asked. 

"May  it  please  the  Grand  Cyclops,"  said  one, 
near  the  centre  of  the  line,  "I  suggest  that  we 
give  these  offenders  ten  lashes  each." 

' '  May  it  please  the  Grand  Cyclops,  make  it 
twenty,"  cried  another. 

' '  Twenty  lashes, ' '  echoed  nearly  every  voice 
in  a  muffled  tone. 

"Fifteen  lashes  each,  is  the  decree,"  said  the 
leader. 

"Fifteen  lashes  each,  is  the  decree.  So  says 
the  Grand  Cyclops,  and  he  must  be  obeyed,"  said 
nineteen  husky  voices  in  unison. 


428  In  the  Wake  of  War 

"Follow,"  commanded  the  leader,  turning  his 
horse  and  striking  off  through  the  wood  in  the 
direction  of  Kosciusko. 

The  horses  stumbled  and  floundered  over  the 
rough  surface  of  the  woods-lot  at  a  rattling  gait, 
and  were  soon  in  the  turnpike.  Neither  horses 
nor  riders  seemed  to  regard  the  blackness  of  the 
night.  Had  the  moon  reflected  her  full  light,  had 
every  star  in  the  dome  of  the  heavens  sent  down 
its  spark,  these  determined  men  would  have  rid- 
den the  same.  To  that  Silent  Army,  lights  and 
shadows  were  the  most  trifling  of  incidents. 

Down  the  pike  they  swept  at  a  killing  pace, 
until  Kosciusko  was  reached.  Here  a  few  flicker- 
ing street-lamps  relieved  the  murky  night,  and 
they  silently  formed  into  two  squads,  each  in  the 
general  shape  of  a  star.  The  Grand  Cyclops  rode 
well  in  advance,  followed  by  the  Grand  Ensign 
carrying  the  banner  of  the  Den.  This  was  a  new 
standard,  wrought  in  silk,  with  the  insignia  of  the 
order  handsomely  embroidered  by  hand.  It  had 
never  before  been  flung  to  the  night-breeze. 
Where  it  came  from,  no  one  seemed  to  know;  no 
one  asked.  The  Silent  Army  never  asked  ques- 
tions. 

The  old  town  was  asleep,  save  for  a  few  drunken 
negroes  who  were  struggling  to  get  to  their  homes. 
These  the  Silent  Riders  did  not  notice;  the  leader 
headed  toward  the  improvised  town,  the  quarter 
inhabited  by  the  freedmen. 

As  they  reached  the  public  square,  they  saw 
the  smouldering  embers  of  camp-tii-es;  the  colored 
men  had  been  celebrating  their  full  admission  of 
citizenship.     The  troop  either  suspected  nothing 


Mystic  Den  Meets  a  Foe  429 

or  feared  nothing  from  this,  for  it  rode  straight 
ahead. 

Turning  a  corner  in  the  open  space,  they  passed 
between  the  court-house  and  a  street  lamp,  when 
a  volley  of  musketry  cut  the  heavy  air.  With  a 
groan,  the  leader  rolled  from  his  horse.  The 
Grand  Ensign  dropped  the  banner  over  his  form. 

"  One,  seven,  nine,  watch  over  the  Grand 
Cyclops ;  the  other  Ghouls  follow  me, ' '  cried  the 
Grand  Ensign,  in  an  instant.  The  three  men  in- 
dicated sprang  from  their  horses  and  raised  the 
form  of  their  fallen  leader  to  a  sitting  posture. 

"Howard!"  gasped  the  fallen  man,  for  the 
moment  forgetting  the  disguise. 

"Halt,  Ghouls!"  commanded  the  Grand  En- 
sign, dropping  from  his  horse.  ' '  Yes,  Man- 
ning,"  he  whispered,  kneeling  beside  his  old 
comrade,  "are  you    hurt  ?  " 

"No,  not  hurt;  only  killed.  Leave  me;  dis- 
arm the  negroes.  They  are  running;  leave  me, 
Howard;  go  on,  go  on.  Oh,  God  !  to  have  lived 
through  a  dozen  battles,  only  to  be  shot  down  in 
the  dark  —  by  a  nigger. ' '  And  the  head  of  the 
leader  sank  to  his  breast. 

The  squad  waited  no  longer,  but  charged  down 
the  street  after  the  fleeing  blacks. 

Without  heed  of  the  darkness  or  thought  of 
another  ambuscade,  they  pursued,  through  streets 
and  alleys,  the  black  men  who  had  made  good 
time  during  the  moment  of  delay.  At  the  old 
wooden  bridge  the  freedmen  attempted  to  rally 
and  make  a  stand.  But  the  officer  could  not  form 
them.  He  lined  three  ranks,  but  they  broke 
away;  some  pitched  their  guns  into  the  Opal  and 


430  In  the  Wake  of  War 

slunk  into  the  darkness;  others  more  brave,  stood 
the  ground,  but  shifted  for  themselves.  Nearer 
and  nearer  came  the  hoof-beats  of  the  Silent 
Riders. 

Despairing  of  order  and  not  knowing  what  else 
to  do,  the  commanding  officer  bawled  out:  "Hi, 
thar,  stop  or  we  shoots  !  " 

The  pursuers  disregarded  the  threat,  and 
charged  straight  into  the  crowd.  The  negroes 
did  not  shoot;  thej  threw  down  their  guns  with- 
out a  word  of  protest,  and  dropping  on  their  knees, 
pleaded  for  mercy. 

Sixteen  great  whips  were  drawn  from  beneath 
sixteen  flowing  gowns,  and  for  a  little  time  did 
painful  execution  over  the  shoulders  of  the  mis- 
creants within  reach.  The  new  citizen  was  still  a 
slave;  he  could  not  defend  himself.  After  the 
chastisement  had  been  called  off,  the  colored 
men  were  ordered  to  disperse,  only  the  leader 
was  detained. 

A  few  words  were  spoken:  "  Take  off  his  coat 
and  breeches;  they're  the  Federal  uniform," 
said  the  Grand  Ensign.  A  short  and  unequal 
struggle  followed;  then  all  was  quiet. 

The  men  in  flowing  robes  went  silently  back  to 
the  square,  took  up  the  body  of  their  fallen  leader, 
and  moved  quietly  toward  the  north. 

The  next  morning  the  body  of  a  negro  was 
found  swinging  from  a  halter-strap  beneath  the 
old  bridge.  His  arms  were  pinioned  with  whip 
lashes,  and  on  his  breast  was  pinned  a  card  bear- 
ing the  cabalistic  *  *  .  It  was  the  ambitious 
leader  of  the  colored  militia. 


Mystic  Den  Meets  a  Foe  431 

In  a  bundle,  carefully  folded,  was  the  Federal 
uniform  that  the  foolish  man  had  disgraced  in  his 
blind  zeal.  The  men  who  wrote  the  history  of 
this  event  and  affixed  to  their  work  the  claim  of 
authenticity,  forgot  to  mention  this  one  act  of 
respect  for  the  Federal  Government.  Nor  was 
this  their  only  sin  of  omission. 


XLVI 

Uncle  Phil's  Last  Baptizing 

APEEIOD  of  guerrilla  warfare  followed  the 
shooting  of  Manning  Lewis.  The  negroes 
took  small  part  in  this.  They  were  afraid  to 
meet  any  foe;  a  mysterious  one  was  little  less 
than  supernatural  and  could  not  be  thought  of. 
But  the  members  of  the  County  Guards  returned 
naturally  to  their  old  occupation;  it  suited  them 
so  well  that  they  neglected  their  official  duties  as 
teasers  for  the  Carpet-Baggers. 

The  Silent  Army  suffered  many  an  ambuscade, 
and  lost  many  a  good  man.  They  complained 
not  at  this;  they  took  it  as  the  fair  outcome  of 
their  own  acts.  The  contest  was  furious.  The 
County  Guards  were  such  masters  in  this  diabol- 
ical art  of  sneaking,  that  for  a  time  it  looked  as  if 
they  would  drive  the  Silent  Army  from  the  field. 
But  intelligence  soon  overmatched  brute  cunning, 
and  the  natural-born  bushwhackers  were  pushed 
to  that  extremity  that  they  had  either  to  quit  the 
contest  or  give  to  their  operations  a  new  feature. 
This  they  did  by  outraging  negroes  in  a  manner 
that  left  suspicion  on  the  Order  of  the  Two  Stars. 

Those  who  suffei-ed  most  keenly  from  this  turn 
in  affairs  were  black  men  who  had  remained  with 
their  masters  and  had  declined  the  advice  and  sup- 
port of  the  Freed  men' 8  Bureau.  Because  they 
had  refused  to  become  loafers,  they  had  been 
regarded  all  along  as  traitors  to  their  political 
guardians.     Many  harmless  negroes  suffered  the 

432 


Uncle  Phil's  Last  Baptizing  433 

extreme  penalty  for  non-conformity  to  the  or- 
dained scheme  of  political  salvation.  And  the 
newspaper  correspondents  recorded  all  this  against 
the  Order  of  the  Two  Stars, 

As  soon  as  the  Guards  began  this  reflex  move- 
ment, the  Silent  Army  doubled  its  vigil.  These 
faithful  servants  had  become  surpassingly  endeared 
by  their  devotion  through  adverse  fortune.  Had 
the  two  opposing  forces  met  at  this  time,  either 
the  Carpet-Baggers  would  have  out-run  the  Silent 
Army,  or  there  would  have  been  fought  a  battle 
of  extermination.  The  County  Guards  well  knew 
the  temper  of  their  foe,  as  well  as  its  habits. 
Accordingly  they  made  their  depredatory  raids  on 
foot  through  field  and  wood  where  horsemen  could 
not  pursue,   and  would  not  be  met  with. 

This  serious  business  lasted  for  several  months 
and  might  have  continued  much  longer,  only  that 
the  ofiicers  overshot  the  mark.  The  act  that 
brought  on  the  climax,  and  marked  the  limit  of 
cruelty  in  that  cruel  aggregation,  occurred  on  a 
bitter  night  of  mid-winter,  when  the  heavens  were 
lowering  with  snow-clouds.  A  dozen  of  the 
Guards,  with  feet  muffled  in  rags  and  faces 
masked,  came  across  lots  to  Elmington.  Pleas 
was  to  be  their  victim,  if  he  could  be  overtaken 
safely  remote  from  home.  But  chance  favored 
Pleas;  he  was  not  abroad.  They  dared  not,  for 
all  the  darkness,  venture  within  gun-shot  of  the 
house.  So,  after  they  had  waited  about  in  the 
cold,  they  started  toward  Kosciusko,  sore  and  dis- 
appointed.    At  the  Opal,  Brassley  had  an  idea. 

"Thar's  thet  ole  preacher,  Phil;  les'  thrash 
him;   he  nerr  was  beat  like  other  niggers." 

28 


4-34  In  the  Wake  of  War 

Their  mood  was  savage;  any  sanguinary  pro- 
posal would  have  carried.  They  made  for  Uncle 
Phil's  cabin,  broke  in  the  door,  and  dragged  him 
from  bed  with  great  noise  and  vulgar  threats. 
The  old  man  made  no  resistance;  he  showed  little 
alarm.  True  to  her  nature,  Aunt  Manda  fought 
like  a  tigress;  but  she  was  quickly  overpowered 
and  tied  hand  and  foot.  Without  allowing  him 
to  dress,  they  hustled  Uncle  Phil  into  the  cold. 
His  old  feet  were  bare,  but  he  walked  on  the  fro- 
zen clods  with  little  complaint.  Zack  Brassley, 
who  was  in  command,  gave  orders  that  the  old 
man  be  baptized.  He  clearly  forgot  himself  and 
spoke  in  his  natural  voice. 

"  Dat  am  yo',  Zack  Brassley,"  said  Uncle 
Phil.  "  Doan  perfane  de  sacrimint;  kill  me  if 
yo'  wants  to,  but  spar'  de  sacrimint." 

"  We  '11  hev  to  kill  him,  now,"  cried  Brassley, 
"he'll  tell  on  us.     Wall,  les'  duck  him  fust." 

A  hole  was  cut  through  the  ice  on  the  pool 
where  Uncle  Phil  had  so  many  times  adminis- 
tered baptism  to  his  people;  and  two  lusty  scoun- 
drels, one  standing  on  either  side  of  this,  holding 
him  by  the  arms,  lowered  him  under  and  then 
lifted  his  drenched  body  into  the  frosty  air. 
Again  and  again  this  was  repeated  amid  the 
laughter  and  curses  of  the  heartless  tormentors; 
and  each  time,  as  the  old  man  was  going  down, 
he  said,  calmly  and  fervently:  "In  de  name  of 
de  Father " 

When  the  diabolical  malice  of  the  persecutors 
had  been  somewhat  satisfied  they  dragged  their 
poor  victim  out  and  ordered  him  to  stand.  But 
his   legs   refused    to   support   him.      His   scanty 


Uncle  Phil's  Last  Baptizing  435 

night  clothing  was  frozen  stiff.  He  dropped 
upon  the  ice,  a  shivering  mass.  With  great 
effort  he  clasped  his  hands  together,  and  in  a 
trembling  voice  said:   "Let  us  praj:   '  Ou'  Father 

which  art  in  heaven '  ' '     Instantly  there  was 

silence.  The  tormentors  dropped  back;  they 
could  not  listen  to  the  Lord's  Prayer.  This  act 
of  piety,  so  natural  and  characteristic  in  the  old 
man,  brought  him  quick  relief;  for  the  darkness 
was  cut  with  a  bright  flash,  the  stillness  was 
shocked  with  a  pistol  report,  and  Uncle  Phil 
prayed  no  more. 

It  was  another  vicarious  atonement,  for  soon 
after  the  torture  of  Uncle  Phil,  coming  as  it  did 
when  the  night  of  this  chaos  was  blackest,  light 
began  to  break.  The  County  Guards  had  for 
months  so  neglected  their  political  functions  that 
they  had  become  useless  to  the  Carpet-Baggers 
and  the  Federal  officers.  Now  they  were  hunted 
by  the  Silent  Army  until  they  dared  not  show 
themselves,  and  were  clearly  in  the  way.  But 
they  strove  to  hold  their  place  within  the  party 
organization.  They  did  not  want  to  be  politically 
lost.  In  attempting  to  maintain  their  standing, 
they  quarrelled  with  the  Carpet-Baggers  over 
spoils;  they  refused  to  go  out  of  doors  to  do  the 
dirty  work  of  the  Federal  officers. 

This  condition  was  quickly  followed  by  crim- 
inations and  recriminations  —  the  brawl  was  in- 
curable. For  once,  spoils  lost  their  cohesive 
power.  The  spoilsmen,  who  depended  the  one  on 
the  other,  fought  like  cats  and  dogs. 

Then  the  party  that  had  brought  forth  and 
fondled   these  vipers,  sickened  on  the  disgrace. 


436  In  the  Wake  of  War 

The  brutal  franchise  laws  were  changed,  and  the 
white  man  of  the  South  again  took  the  ballot  in 
his  hand.  To  what  extent  he  emulated  the  con- 
duct of  the  Radicals  in  controlling  the  negroes' 
vote,  it  is  not  the  province  of  this  tale  to  relate. 
It  would  have  been  unusual,  indeed,  if  the  re- 
stored citizen  had  not  availed  himself  of  every 
expedient  that  would  again  place  the  administra- 
tive power  in  other  hands  than  those  that  had  so 
wantonly  misruled  for  six  years  —  misrule  that 
cost  the  South  more  heartaches  than  four  years  of 
war;  more  fortune  than  the  support  of  its  own 
and  an  invading  army.  That  subject  deals  with 
quite  another  epoch  in  our  history.  With  the 
decline  of  the  rule  of  Carpet-Baggers,  this  narra- 
tive must  close. 

This  change  in  sight,  the  Silent  Army  was  dis- 
banded as  quietly  as  it  had  been  organized.  The 
twenty-eight  months  of  its  existence  had  been 
troublous  and  exciting  months.  Those  who  had 
engaged  in  it  were  well  tired  of  the  strain,  and 
were  glad  to  have  it  put  away; 

Other  secret  orders  sprang  into  existence,  one 
for  each  unsettled  grudge.  These  had  no  general 
organization;  they  were  wholly  lawless  and  preda- 
tory. But  their  acts  were  charged  to  the  Order 
of  the  Two  Stars,  even  after  it  had  ceased  to  be. 


XLVII 

A  War-Widow 

AGAIN  the  wheat  and  the  oats  were  harvested, 
.  and  corn  was  so  far  advanced  that  work  on  it 
was  ' '  laid  by. ' '  Again  the  procession  of  pleasure- 
seekers  had  driven  down  the  turnpike  and  turned 
into  the  old  Military  Road  on  its  way  to  the  Plain 
of  Tempe.  The  company  was  small;  some  of 
those  composing  it  were  serious;  but  all  were  con- 
tented. All  evidences  of  war  were  disappearing; 
the  wretched  period  of  half  war,  half  peace,  was  a 
memory.  One  bright  summer's  evening  when  all 
were  settled  in  the  Plain,  Howard  Grayson,  his 
wife,  and  his  sister,  were  sitting  on  the  porch 
of  their  cabin.  The  day's  mail  had  just  been 
brought  into  camp  by  Pleas,  and  Major  Lewis 
sauntered  over  to  get  his  portion  from  the  budget 
—  a  copy  of  the  daily  "American." 

"  Now,  Howard,  don't  get  a  chair  for  me;  I  'm 
not  to  sit  down  and  gossip  this  blessed  evening 
away.  I  have  orders.  Mrs.  Lewis  has  engaged 
to  read  the  political  news  to  your  father  and  me 
over  at  St.  Lewis's  hut,  and  I  'm  instructed  to 
hurry  back.  'O'ders  is  O'ders,'  as  a  distin- 
guished Radical  politician  had  a  habit  of  saying, 
once  upon  a  time,  and  I  have  ever  since  made  it 
a  point  not  to  trifle  with  them.  Then,  the  Colonel 
and  I  are  hungry  for  political  sustenance.  We  've 
discussed  yesterday's  instalment  and  have  it  thor- 
oughly digested,  agreeing  to  only  one  proposition 

437 


438  In  the  Wake  of  War 


—  to  disagree.  He  thinks  Grant  will  do  the 
right  thing  by  the  South;  I  think  Grant  won't 
have  a  thing  to  do  about  it  —  the  politicians  will 
do  for  us  what  seems  expedient,  which  is  equiva- 
lent to  saying  that  we  shall  get  the  butt  end  of  the 
stick.  And  I'm  right,  as  usual.  Remarkable, 
we  never  did  fully  agree;  yet  in  more  than  forty 
years  we  never  have  quarreled — which  proves 
that  I  'm  a  peaceable  man." 

The  Major  had  taken  the  proffered  seat;  he  was 
in  a  mood  to  talk.  The  Graysons  were  engaged 
with  their  mail. 

"  I  reckon  I  'm  getting  old, ' '  mused  the  Major, 
trying  to  focus  his  eyes  on  the  newspaper,  '■ '  I 
can't  tell  heads  from  tails  without  glasses.  Far- 
don  me.  Miss  Mary  Lou,  I  did  n't  aim  to  inter- 
rupt you;    I  was  sort  of  studying  aloud." 

' '  I  think  it  is  a  good  time  for  some  of  the  fam- 
ily to  apologize  for  your  neglect.  Major  Lewis," 
said  Mary  Lou,  looking  about  her.  ' '  Here  we 
all  sit  reading  our  mail  without  so  much  as  '  excuse 
me.'  I  'd  rather  listen  to  your  talk  than  to  read 
a  letter  any  time.  How  delightful  the  Plain  is, 
after  these  years  of  absence." 

^'I  've  been  here  more  than  forty  summers  and 
it  never  before  looked  so  charming.  The  wrath 
and  fury  that  have  been  rampant  the  past  six 
years  have  left  no  frown  on  the  face  of  nature 
here.  You  see  man  was  not  here  to  furrow  and 
seam  it  with  angry  lines.  Old  Mount  Ossa  looks 
as  smiling  as  ever;  Olympus  never  had  a  more 
cool  or  more  fragrant  breath.  I  'm  glad  there 
are  no  marks  of  man's  passions  here,  except  those 
we  carry  on  our  hearts. ' ' 


A  War-Widow  439 

Howard  had  finished  his  letter,  and  sat  thought- 
ful and  serious. 

"Well,  young  man,  what's  the  trouble  now? 
Knitted  brows  are  not  in  style  at  the  Plain,"  said 
the  Major. 

"I  've  just  finished  a  letter  from  an  old  friend 
of  both  our  families,  saying  he  wants  to  return  to 
Tennessee  to  visit  us,  especially  Little  Sister.  As 
he  says,  he  '  wonders '  if  he  will  be  well  received. " 

"If  he  is  a  friend  of  this  family,  he  can  bet  his 
eternal  salvation  he  will  be  cordially  received.  If 
he  's  a  friend  of  the  Lewises,  he  '11  have  to  take 
his  chances,"  said  the  Major. 

"  Who  could  ask  such  a  question?"  enquired 
Mary  Lou. 

' '  Captain  —  now  Colonel  —  Avery, ' '  answered 
Howard. 

"He  is  a  gentleman,  a  man  of  courage;  I'd 
love  to  see  him  again,"  said  the  Major,  rising 
from  his  seat. 

"  We  remember  Captain  Avery  very  pleasantly; 
why  should  we  not  receive  him  kindly?"  asked 
Mary  Lou. 

"But  he  put  the  matter  a  bit  stronger  than  I 
quoted,"  said  Howard. 

Major  Lewis  started  to  leave,  saying:  "I  think 
Mrs.  Lewis  waved  her  hand  for  me  to  come  home. 
I  don't  dare  to  stay  longer.  Good-evening,  for 
now, ' '  and  he  walked  quickly  away.  Evidently 
he  did  not  care  to  hear  more. 

' '  I  can  not  make  my  aaswer  any  stronger, 
Howard,''  said  Mary  Lou,  after  the  Major  was  out 
of  hearing. 

"Then  you  are  content  with  our  quiet  little  life; 


440  In  the  Wake  of  war 

satisfied  to  remain  the  sweetest  sister  in  all  the 
world  ? ' '  asked  Howard, 

"If  I  could  think  myself  that.  Life  is  very 
delightful  with  you,  and  Margaret,  and  father. 
Don't  think  I  am  getting  old;  don't  fear  that  you 
will  have  an  old  maid  on  your  hands.  I  never 
shall  be  one.  I  went  from  girlhood  to  —  widow- 
hood.    I  am  a  war-widow." 

"  Poor  Manning  !  "  sighed  Howard. 

"No,  Brother;  you  did  not  know  it,  but  that 
could  never  have  been.  Not  poor  Manning  — 
The  Cause." 

The  End. 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


/ 


y^W^NAc^    ^^^ 


--Co^^<)        btKv«^        /3^^^'^^~^ 


